On Wednesday, European Union countries reached a consensus on a comprehensive package of sanctions against Belarus, closing a loophole used by Russia to evade sanctions. This news was obtained by Reuters from EU diplomats and Belgium.
The EU passed its fourteenth round of sanctions against Russia for its aggression in the 2022 Ukraine war. The new sanctions include requiring EU companies exporting goods to Russia through non-EU countries to take on more responsibility.
Belgium, currently holding the EU’s rotating presidency, posted on the social media platform X, stating, “This plan will strengthen our response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including combating efforts to evade sanctions.”
In a statement, Belgium mentioned, “With this plan, we can close one of the biggest loopholes in our sanction system.”
Since last year, the EU has made increased efforts to close this loophole, collectively considering Belarus as the major vulnerability.
Belgium, as the EU’s rotating presidency, announced, “EU ambassadors have agreed in principle to a comprehensive sanctions package against Belarus.”
The statement mentioned, “This new plan will bolster our targeted measures to counter Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including actions against evading sanctions.”
The EU has held the Kremlin’s closest ally, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko’s government accountable for allowing Belarus to serve as a transit point for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It is believed that imposing sanctions on both Belarus and Russia simultaneously is crucial in preventing banned items like microchips from reaching Russia for use in the Ukrainian battlefield.
EU officials stated that Belarus acted as Russia’s backdoor in this sanction operation, facilitating the transfer of banned goods from the EU to Russia.
European Commission President Von der Leyen posted on the social media platform X, “Belarus will not be allowed to become a channel for Russia to circumvent EU sanctions. With this new sanctions plan, we can increase pressure on both countries, making our sanctions against Russia more effective.”
Since January last year, the EU has been working to link the sanctions imposed on Belarus prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with war response measures. However, Belarus’s potassium fertilizer exports have been a major obstacle to these efforts.
Belarus is a major global exporter of potassium fertilizer, exporting 10 to 12 million metric tons annually, comprising one-fifth of the global potassium fertilizer supply.
A diplomat noted that the new sanctions text adjusts measures on dual-use goods, such as ordinary electrical appliances and chips used in both civilian and military products.
The new plan removes provisions allowing Belarus to export potassium fertilizer and other agricultural products through Europe during price surges.
(Note: Parts of this article are based on reports from Reuters and AFP)
Article sourced from Voice of America.