EU president pledges new sanctions against Belarus over Ukraine war

January 10, BPN. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the European Union might impose new sanctions on Alaksandr Łukašenka’s regime for its support of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The remarks she made at the joint press conference with European Council President Charles Michel and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels were livestreamed by El País’ Youtube channel on January 10.

“We will keep the pressure on the Kremlin for as long as it takes with a biting sanctions regime. We will extend these sanctions to those who militarily support Russia’s war, such as Belarus or Iran. And we will be coming forward with new sanctions on Belarus answering Belarus’ role in this Russian war in Ukraine,” von der Leyen said.

Russia has repeatedly struck Ukraine from Belarusian territory, where it has a growing military presence. It used Belarus as a launchpad for its February 2022 offensive on Kyiv. At the same time, Belarus says its troops are not directly involved in hostilities in Ukraine.

Over the past few years, democratic nations have imposed multiple restrictions on Belarus, mainly due to Minsk’s human rights violations. Sanctions were imposed for the rigged 2020 presidential election, brutal crackdown on protests, forced landing of a Ryanair flight, migration crisis on the EU border, and support of Russia’s war in Ukraine.