On Friday, the 1st of December, the presidents of Latvia, Lithuania and Poland boycotted the joint photo session of state leaders at the 28th session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Dubai (COP28) because Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko participated in it.
“It would be hypocritical to stand shoulder to shoulder with the head of state who became the platform of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and discuss the future of the world and climate change as if nothing had happened,” said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in his comment to BNS agency.
“The Belarusian regime is assisting the destruction of the world’s future and is responsible alongside Russia for what is happening in Ukraine, starting with people’s death and ending with the catastrophic impact on the environment,” stressed Nauseda.
“This is called a family photo. Lukashenko is not part of the family we all want to be in,” he said.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs and Polish President Andrzej Duda boycotted the photo op as well.
Answering the question if president Rinkēvičs boycotted the photo, the president’s advisor Mārtiņš Drēģeris confirmed to LETA that he did.
Also read: Tensions remain high on Latvian-Belarusian border
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