President and PM say Czech Republic ready to help deal with migrant crisis on Polish-Belarus border

President Miloš Zeman has offered Poland assistance in dealing with the migrant crisis on the country’s border with Belarus. Poland has massed troops along the border, the European Union’s eastern frontier, to keep migrants camped there from crossing into the country.

In a letter to Polish President Andrzej Duda, President Zeman said it is the duty of all EU member states to help defend the common EU border and suggested the possibility of Czech sending police officers or soldiers to Poland. He said that although such a move would require approval from both chambers of Parliament, he was ready to defend it with the full weight of his position.  Outgoing Prime Minister Andrej Babiš also said the Czech Republic was ready to help Poland.