On June 27, the European Council held a formal meeting and decided to impose additional sanctions on Belarus due to its participation in Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. The European Commission expressed its support for these new sanctions. The sanctions against Belarus were last updated in August 2023 to bring them more in line with the sanctions imposed on Russia.
Aleksandr Lukashenko, the President of Belarus, installed an Orwellian-kind dictatorial regime that targets not only the democratic opposition and human rights activists but also their relatives. The European Commission condemned in the strongest possible terms the recent wave of repression against former political prisoners remaining in Belarus. The European Parliament did so on several occasions.
Belarus gradually became a colony of Russia, aligning with the choices of the Vladimir Putin regime. Lukashenko backed Putin in his invasion of Ukraine, offering its territory, infrastructures and military facilities to the Russian plans. Moreover, the government “hosted” Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russians in the occupied territories of Ukraine. However, an underground movement acting in the country increases Lukashenko’s insecurity and fears of an uprising if he further involves the country in the war.
Nevertheless, Belarus still facilitates the circumvention of existing sanctions against Russia because a close integration of the Russian and Belarusian economies occurred under the regime. The Belarus democratic opposition and political parties in the European Parliament urged the EU to adopt tough sanctions against the Lukashenko regime on several occasions. However, the close ties between some EU governments, with Hungary at the top, have prevented the Council from adopting such sanctions until now.
The new sanctions against Belarus align with measures against Russia, making EU sanctions more effective. They impact various sectors of the Belarusian economy and aim to combat circumvention. Specifically, the sanctions extend export restrictions on dual-use and advanced technology goods and prohibit imports of goods, allowing Belarus to diversify its revenue sources, as well as gold and diamonds.
EU operators are now required to prevent their foreign subsidiaries from undermining sanctions. Transit of certain goods through Belarus is prohibited. EU exporters must include a “no-Belarus clause” in new contracts. The Council can impose measures against those evading sanctions. Services to Belarus are restricted, and using Belarus-registered trailers in the EU is also prohibited. EU operators can claim compensation for damages caused by Belarusian entities linked to sanctions implementation.
