{"id":124035,"date":"2025-01-29T12:48:18","date_gmt":"2025-01-29T09:48:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/124035\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"fm-claims-belarus-western-neighbors-hinder-trade-with-other-eu-countries","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/124035\/","title":{"rendered":"FM claims Belarus\u2019 western neighbors hinder trade with other EU countries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Pozirk)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

January 29, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Belarusian trade with the European Union countries plunged from $15.7 billion in 2019 to about $8 billion last year, follows from the Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ry\u017eanko\u016d\u2019s interview to Russia’s Izvestia<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite decreased amounts, trade is most intensive with those countries that keep criticizing Belarus the most and spread anti-Belarusian moods in the EU, the diplomat noted, without naming any of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“They call for sanctions there, speak about the illegitimacy of our government, while quietly trading,” he said. “That is, you shape the EU stance and force certain states, which are considered the locomotives of the EU, to suspend some kind of interaction, but what about you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The West, including “core countries of old Europe,” is interested in expanding trade and economic ties with Minsk, Ry\u017eanko\u016d claimed, citing events where Belarusian businessmen are invited via chambers of commerce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk also receives more political signals of readiness to improve relations, he added, criticizing Belarus’ western neighbors for hindering this cooperation and “fomenting an atmosphere of distrust, while seeking to solve their own issues in the background.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ry\u017eanko\u016d mentioned Hungary as a \u201cgood example\u201d for acting in the \u201cinterests of its people\u201d and \u201cunited Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About a week ago, Alaksandar \u0160pako\u016dski, a propagandist and member of the lower house\u2019s foreign affairs committee, said that Belarus recorded a rise in trade with several western countries despite the EU sanctions. Minsk maintains contacts \u201cboth with political and business circles\u201d in the EU, he claimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the past few years, democratic countries have imposed multiple restrictions on Belarus over human rights abuses, alleged vote rigging in the 2020 presidential election, a brutal crackdown on protesters, the forced landing of a Ryanair flight, a migration crisis at the EU border, as well as support of Russia’s war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka has recently slammed EU sanctions for “strangling” the Belarusian people and him personally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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