European Union member states agreed on Wednesday to impose new sanctions against Belarus to align existing measures with those against Russia and thus prevent Moscow from circumventing restrictions via Minsk.
“EU ambassadors have reached an agreement in principle on a new sanctions package against Belarus. It will strengthen our measures in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including the fight against sanctions circumvention,” the Belgian presidency reported. of the Council in a message on social networks.
Belgian presidency sources say that with this package of sanctions, the bloc is closing the biggest loophole in its sanctions, as Russia and Belarus have a customs union that makes it easier to evade punitive measures.
The purpose of this movement is to align the sanctions against Belarus with all the rounds of sanctions approved against Russia, diplomatic sources have indicated to Europa Press. Thus there would be a mirror between the 14th round of sanctions against Russia and the measures against Belarus, putting a limit on Minsk’s assistance to Moscow in circumventing the sanctions and helping the Russian war effort.
This package of measures has been on the table of EU ambassadors for almost two years and the main obstacle was the lack of agreement to sanction Belarusian fertilizers, considered key to the food security of continents such as Africa.