London expands sanctions against Łukašenka regime

June 8, BPN. Rishi Sunak’s government has introduced a new package of sanctions against the regime of Alaksandr Łukašenka, the UK foreign office has said in a news release.

The new sanctions legislation will allow London to restrict Belarusian exports, fight Russian attempts to circumvent existing sanctions and counter Łukašenka’s propaganda.

In particular, the government is banning imports of gold, cement and wood to the UK from Belarus, as well as exports to this country of goods and technology that can be used to produce chemical and biological weapons.

Minsk’s access to British financial markets has been further restricted

The package builds on previous sanctions on Łukašenka’s regime, such as a ban on the import and export of goods worth about £60 million.

“This new package ratchets up the economic pressure on Łukašenka and his regime which actively facilitates the Russian war effort and ignores Ukraine’s territorial integrity,” said Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

The UK government also called on Minsk to immediately release more than 1,400 political prisoners.