Support The Moscow Times!

EU, U.S. Ease Sanctions Against Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko

Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko

The European Union will suspend sanctions for four months against Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko and 170 other individuals from Oct. 31, according to an EU Council statement.

The EU sanctions — involving assets freezing and visa bans — will be suspended until the end of February next year, according to the statement published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Friday.

The decision was taken after Lukashenko released the country"s remaining political prisoners on Aug. 22 and amid warmer relations between the EU and Belarus, the statement said. Following the EU report, the U.S. Treasury said Friday it would now allow most transactions with nine Belarussian sanctioned entities for a period of six months starting from Oct. 31, the BBC reported.

Commenting on the matter, Konstantin Kosachev, head of the Russian Federation Council"s Foreign Affairs Committee, said the removal of sanctions against Lukashenko could mean that the West is attempting to lure Russia"s ally away, the TASS news agency reported Friday.

Lukashenko was re-elected to a fifth term in office earlier this month.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more