Pavel Latushka: Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Ambassador
On May 30th, the EU Council in Brussels adopted a resolution to introduce additional duties on imports of certain Belarusian and Russian agricultural products into the European Union.
These measures, which will take effect on July 1st, 2024, increase duties on grains, oilseeds, and their derivatives from Russia and Belarus to a level that will effectively halt imports of these products. This includes wheat, corn, sunflower meal, beet pulp pellets, and dried peas.
What makes these sanctions innovations significant for the Lukashenko regime?
First, this is an example of sanctions harmonization between Russia and the Lukashenko regime being implemented immediately. This is a crucial development. We have consistently emphasized to our partners that aligning sanctions against both regimes is key to their effectiveness.
Second, these sanctions restrictions were imposed for aiding and abetting the Russian regime – essentially, sanctions "for supporting the aggressor."
The EU Council states that the Russian Federation is currently "illegally appropriating large quantities of such products from the territories of Ukraine, which it illegally occupies, and exporting them as purportedly Russian products." Sanctions restrictions are also being imposed on the Lukashenko regime for the reasons stated above.
The new tariffs aim to effectively stop grain imports from both Russia and Belarus into the EU.
These measures will prevent destabilization of the EU grain market, block Russian exports of misappropriated Ukrainian grain, prevent Russia from using export revenues to the EU to finance its war of aggression against Ukraine, and stop the Lukashenko regime from helping Russia circumvent these restrictions.