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Poland shuts a Belarus crossing as tensions rise
Summary
A look back at a border closure announced on 9 February 2023, and at a diplomatic trip reported the day before.
What did the map of Ukraine's neighbourhood look like on 9 February 2023? One answer lay on the border between Poland and Belarus.
On that date, Poland announced the closure of a major border crossing with Belarus "until further notice", citing heightened tensions between the two countries. Only two checkpoints between the nations were open at the time.
The announcement came as diplomacy was moving elsewhere in Europe. As reported on 8 February 2023, Volodymyr Zelensky was to travel to France after his visit to the United Kingdom. In Paris he was due to meet President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Taken together, the two reports show a region on the move: a hardening border to the north-west of Ukraine, and a visit that brought together Ukraine's leader with the leaders of France and Germany.
