February 14, Pozirk. Sanctions against Alaksandar Łukašenka’s regime will soon be extended for another year, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys has told a Belarus-themed panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference.
He said restrictions should be expanded to cover hybrid attacks against the European Union in addition to human rights violations in Belarus in 2020, the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in 2021 and support of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Budrys stressed that there are sufficient grounds to maintain sanctions against Łukašenka, noting that they cannot be reconsidered unless the Belarusian ruler fundamentally changes his behavior and is held accountable.
Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja, who also took part in the discussion, praised Lithuania’s stance and the EU policies, describing them as grounded in values, accountability and the rule of law, and commended Europe’s recognition of Belarus’s strategic importance for regional security.
