During a recent EU summit in Brussels, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa confirmed that EU leaders are prepared to intensify sanctions against Belarus, in response to its role in helping Russia bypass existing EU sanctions tied to Moscow's military endeavors.
Expanding Sanctions
Siliņa noted that discussions on enhancing sanctions were prominent on the first day of the summit.
"We are ready to intensify sanctions not only against Russia but also against Belarus, as Belarus is facilitating Russia's evasion of sanctions," she stated upon her arrival at the EU leaders' summit, as reported by European Truth.
The summit also explored how frozen Russian assets could be utilized to benefit Ukraine, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict and the country's suffering due to Russian airstrikes.
The Latvian Prime Minister described the situation in Ukraine as "crucial" and emphasized the need for the EU to quickly make decisions regarding the provision of air defense systems to Ukraine.
International Response and Further Actions
Following this development, on April 15, the United States and Canada implemented new sanctions targeting individuals and organizations in Belarus that support the regime of Alexander Lukashenko. These sanctions are part of a broader international initiative to address Belarus's involvement in supporting Russia’s aggressive actions in Ukraine.
A previous EU summit in March had already urged the European Commission to draft additional sanctions against Belarus, as well as North Korea and Iran, for their roles in supporting Russia’s military actions against Ukraine.
