Five more countries have joined the targeted economic sanctions imposed by the European Union (E.U.) Council against Belarus on June 24, and which came into force the following day (GM June 25 p. 1).
Norway and Iceland, members of the European Economic Area, and three E.U. Candidate Countries, namely the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Albania, have aligned themselves with this Council Decision, the E.U. Council said in a statement on July 13.
This will ensure that these countries’ national policies conform to this Council Decision, the statement read.
These latest E.U. sanctions restrict imports of Belarus potash into E.U. countries and a transit ban via E.U countries, as well as imports of Belarus NPK fertilizers (and other fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus), but a key grade of Belarusian potash has been excluded from the ban. Potassium chloride with a potassium content evaluated as K2O by weight, exceeding 40 percent but not exceeding 60 percent on the dry anhydrous product, is not included on the sanctions list.
Lithuania, which shares a 679-km border with Belarus, at a meeting on July 12 of E.U. foreign ministers in Brussels proposed further sanctions against Belarus over surging flows of undocumented migrants across its border. Lithuania announced earlier this month that it will build a barrier on the border with Belarus and deploy troops to prevent migrants from illegally crossing into its territory.
In retaliation to the European bloc’s sanctions, Belarus on June 28 said it would suspend a readmission agreement with the E.U. that is aimed to stem illegal migration. Belarus is also suspending its participation in the E.U.’s Eastern Partnership program, which was intended to strengthen cooperation with several FSU countries.
Late on July 15 there were news reports, citing the Kremlin, that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has ordered the country’s government to help Belarus fight Western sanctions. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko had travelled to Russia, a close ally, this week to hold talks with the Russian president.