New sanctions against Lukashenko - the best answer to everyone who wanted to lift them.
EU ambassadors today approved new sanctions against the Lukashenko regime in connection with its continued complicity in the war against Ukraine.
The new sectoral restrictions are mainly aimed at military and dual-use products, weapons, aviation products and technologies. Thus, one more step will be taken towards the harmonization of sanctions between Russia and Lukashenko's regime. In addition to sectoral restrictions, the sanctions package also included blocking sanctions against both individuals and entities. In addition, the new package does not provide for any exceptions for Belarusian potash.
In the meantime, while we are waiting for the details, I want to say a few words to those experts who continue to promote the idea of lifting sanctions, staying far from air raid sirens, missile strikes and drones.
I don't know in what area of expertise such an idea could be born during the war. How expert can be the opinion of people who seriously suggest that the Cabinet, the National Anti-Crisis Management, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya should lobby for the lifting of sanctions against the Lukashenko regime - at a time when he is a co-aggressor and fully supports Russia in the war against Ukraine. When he rebuilds the country's economy and merges it with the military-industrial complex of Russia, produces weapons for it, helps it to circumvent sanctions and receive goods - the same dual-use goods, electronics necessary for the production of the missiles, drones and other types of weapons. To kill Ukrainians. To destroy cities. To continue the war.
Someone will say - but Russia already finds these opportunities, not only with the help of Lukashenko. Yes, indeed, it does. And that is why you propose to lift sanctions from the Lukashenko regime and make life easier for the aggressors?
Is it really that such a simple idea does not reach those who propose lifting sanctions - that at the same moment high-tech production of weapons based on Western components will open in Belarus, which will immediately become available after the lifting of sanctions? Are you seriously suggesting that the EU and the US lift sanctions and open up a direct flow of goods and technologies for Russia to strengthen its military-industrial complex? Excuse me, but is it really adequate during the war?
Well, ok - these experts will say, - maybe not all sanctions should be lifted. But why not remove sanctions from the potash, for example? This is not a military product!
Indeed, not military. But even omitting the issue of facilitating the conditions for smuggling (which will be one of the consequences of lifting sanctions on products supplied in such large volumes), is it not obvious that returning such a source of income to Lukashenko means financing all those endless military exercises and training of Russian troops in Belarus? To finance the stay of Prigozhin's terrorists in our country? To finance the strengthening of the Belarusian military-industrial complex, which has actually become an integral part of the Russian military-industrial complex. In other words, finance the war.
But why do you keep talking about the war? - those experts will object to me. Did sanctions help stop repressions in Belarus and release political prisoners? We do not just offer to remove them - but in exchange for the release of people. Did you think about people?
We did. And we think about them every day. And if someone could guarantee that the lifting of sanctions could get them out of prison and stop the repressions, we could discuss this, develop approaches. But tell me first - all those who are so actively in favor of lifting the sanctions, can they give such guarantees? Or get?
And secondly, we do not live in a vacuum. The situation in Belarus has not been in a vacuum for a long time. Belarus is drawn into the war and it is simply naive or incompetent to ignore this fact in the context of discussing the issue of sanctions. "Let's lift sanctions without guarantees of the release of people in Belarus, but knowing full well that the aggressors will receive even more resources for the war against Ukraine." Are you sure nothing about this proposal bothers you?
Well, fortunately, despite the huge efforts of Lukashenko's lobbyists, albeit after a long pause, the EU does not cancel, but introduces new sanctions. And it continues to limit both aggressors - the Lukashenko regime and Russia - in the possibilities for waging war. This is the most eloquent answer to all those who would like to lift these sanctions. And, frankly, the result of our work:
We were able to unblock the sanctions pause;
prevent the lifting of sanctions on the potash industry;
to harmonize sanctions against the Lukashenko regime and Russia.
The National Anti-Crisis Management will continue to contribute to the abolition of the Lukashenko regime, the victory of Ukraine and the liberation of Belarus. We will increase pressure on the dictator's regime. The next step is the US sanctions package.
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