The EU Has Prepared A New Package Of Sanctions Against Lukashenko's Regime
- 10.06.2025, 16:39
The new restrictions should expand the regime's financial blockade.
The European Commission has prepared a new, already 18th package of sanctions against Russia and Lukashenka's regime for the aggression against Ukraine. Among the proposals is a complete ban on transactions with Belarusian banking structures. This "Radio Svaboda" learned from informed sources in Brussels.
The 18th package of sanctions is aimed at further limiting the military-industrial potential of Russia, which has been waging a full-scale war against Ukraine since 2022. Belarus is included in the package of sanctions because Lukashenko's regime supports Russian aggression.
The prepared package of sanctions includes four Belarusian companies operating in the field of defense and military industry. They will be publicly named later. The European Commission proposes to freeze their assets and prohibit doing business within the EU.
In addition, the European Commission also proposed to expand sectoral restrictions for Belarus. Among them is a complete ban on transactions with Belarusian banking structures, which previously concerned only financial communications (de-SWIFTing - disconnection from the international system of banking interstate settlements SWIFT, which significantly limits the ability of banks to conduct transactions abroad), but now turns into a complete ban on transactions.
Also, for the first time, the import of weapons from Belarus to the EU is banned.
To strengthen control over the possible circumvention of restrictions, the EU proposes to expand the list of goods and technologies, which can be imported from Belarus. In particular, we are talking about machinery, chemicals, certain types of metals and plastics. Transit of a number of goods through the territory of Belarus is also prohibited.
As explained by the European editor of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Rickard Juzwiak, the 18th package of sanctions, developed by the European Commission, should be agreed upon by representatives of all 27 EU countries. The adoption of the document is expected during June.
The previous, 17th package, approved by the EU Council this year on May 20, in particular, imposed sanctions against Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant (MZKT). The justification stated that "Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant is a Belarusian military-industrial enterprise that develops military equipment for the Russian Armed Forces and supports Russia's defense capability."
In the summer of 2024, the EU announced sectoral sanctions against Russia and Belarus. At that time, a number of restrictions were already imposed against the Belarusian financial system:
limitation of access to SWIFT for Belagroprombank, Bank Dabrabyt and Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus, as well as their Belarusian subsidiaries;
prohibition of transactions with the National Bank of Belarus related to the management of reserves or assets, as well as state financing for trade with Belarus and investments in Belarus;
prohibition of listing and provision of services in relation to shares of Belarusian state organizations on the EU trading floors;
substantial increase in the number of transactions with the National Bank of Belarus