Belarus: Unnamed European diplomats told Politico that an informal agreement has been reached between EU nations regarding a fresh round of military sanctions against Belarus, a close ally of Russia.
According to the outlet, the new package will restrict the flow of battlefield supplies, including aviation parts, to Minsk. the list of prohibited items will be similar to the sanctions previously imposed by Brussels on Moscow due to the conflict in Ukraine. According to the diplomats, the package aims to stifle the allegedly illegal supply of military parts to Russia via Belarus.
They pointed out that the new sanctions are seen as a first step toward a larger EU agreement to restrain Minsk.
According to the sources, the European Commission should communicate the military restrictions to the diplomats of the bloc as soon as Wednesday. Next week, they added, EU deputy ambassadors are anticipated to approve the sanctions against Minsk.
The so-called post-Cotonou agreement between the EU and 79 African and Caribbean countries, which had been long stalled due to Poland's position, was linked to the discussions on curbs aimed at Belarus. In order to ensure Minsk receives sanctions, the diplomats said Warsaw has agreed to drop its opposition to the agreement.
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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said last month that Western sanctions had "already turned from an instrument of enforcement of peace and security into a new complex threat on a global scale, condemning entire regions to hunger, cold, and poverty."
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Despite the fact that Belarus is not directly involved in the fighting in Ukraine, the US and the EU have imposed severe restrictions on it. Russia has been able to use Minsk's territory for the military operation since it began in February 2022.