EU steps up actions against Lukashenko regime with additional sanctions

Today (21 June), the EU announced a further 78 individuals and eight entities to be added to its Belarus sanction list. The measures were coordinated with Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Further economic sanctions are expected to be announced at this week’s European Council of heads of government, writes Catherine Feore. 

The grounding of a Ryanair flight flying from Athens to Vilnius in Minsk resulting in the detention of journalist Roman Pratasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega on 23 May has galvanized the EU’s foreign affairs council into taking tougher measures against Belarus. The hijacking, which took place just before a special European Council resulted in a call for the additional measures. 

Foreign ministers also had the opportunity to meet the leader of Belarus’s democratic opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya ahead of today’s meeting over breakfast. Borrell said that ministers listened attentively to her assessment of the current situation and her call for the European Union to continue maintaining a determined position. Tskihanouskaya later went on to meet with the Commission Vice President for Values, Věra Jourová.

Borrell reiterated that the European Union remains ready to support a future democratic Belarus with a comprehensive plan of economic support of up to €3 billion for a democratic Belarus.

Asked about whether sanctions would push Lukashenko towards Putin, Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielieu Landsbergis said that Tsikhanouskay told ministers that "we don’t have to be naive about the measures pushing Lukashenko towards Putin, he is already bundled with Putin". 

Lukashenko has deliberately directed migrants towards Lithuania which has taken in around 500 asylum seekers in the last month. Lithuania more than any other EU country bordering Belarus has been targeted for its outspoken condemnation of the regime, it has also harboured many Belarusians fleeing for safety. Lukashenko said publicly that he would stop deterring migrants going to Lithuania, there is also some evidence that more flights into Belarus from Baghdad and Turkey are channelling migrants to the country. 

US, Canada, UK and EU 

The coordinated statement of the US, Canada, UK and the EU called for an adherence to democratic principles, and engagement with the international community, it stated: “We are further united in our call for the Lukashenko regime to cooperate fully with international investigations into the events of 23 May; immediately release all political prisoners; implement all the recommendations of the independent expert mission under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Moscow Mechanism; and, enter into a comprehensive and genuine political dialogue between the authorities and representatives of the democratic opposition and civil society, facilitated by the OSCE.”

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