The European Union (EU) has agreed to impose new sanctions on Belarus, in line with existing measures against Russia. This move aims to close a significant loophole that has allowed the two countries to evade punitive measures. Belgian presidency sources have confirmed that EU ambassadors reached an agreement in principle on a new sanctions package against Belarus, which will strengthen measures in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and combat sanctions circumvention.
The decision to align the sanctions against Belarus with those against Russia is aimed at restricting Minsk’s assistance to Moscow in circumventing sanctions and supporting the Russian war effort. By establishing a parallel between the sanctions against Russia and those against Belarus, the EU hopes to make it more difficult for both countries to evade punitive measures.
The sanctions package has been under discussion among EU ambassadors for nearly two years. One of the main obstacles was the lack of consensus on sanctioning Belarusian fertilizers, which are considered essential for food security in regions like Africa. However, by addressing this issue, the EU aims to create a more comprehensive set of measures that will have a significant impact on both Belarus and Russia.
The Belgian presidency reported that EU ambassadors reached an agreement in principle on a new sanctions package against Belarus, which will further strengthen existing measures against Russia and help prevent circumvention through Minsk.
