Britain announced a new package of sanctions against Belarus, including an import ban, for allegedly supporting the Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
“This new package of sanctions will increase the pressure on the Belarusian economy and the administration of President Alexander Lukashenko. Belarus actively facilitated the support of the Russian operation and ignored the territorial integrity of Ukraine," British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on June 8.
The sanctions package includes a ban on the import of gold, cement, timber and rubber from Belarus, as well as a ban on the transfer of banknotes and the export of machinery, goods, technologies and materials that can be used to produce chemical and biological weapons from the UK to Belarus.
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Downing Street, London, October 10. Image: Reuters
London added it could also prevent Belarusian state media companies from "propaganda" in the UK. Social media companies and Internet service providers in the UK will restrict access to the websites of sanctioned Belarusian media organisations.
Britain previously raised tariffs on a range of products imported from Russia and Belarus, including precious metals including platinum and palladium.
President Lukashenko is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the two countries have close military ties. Minsk allowed Moscow to use its territory to send troops into Ukraine when hostilities broke out in February 2.
Moscow and Minsk on May 25 signed an agreement on the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. President Lukashenko also announced that countries joining the Union State of Russia - Belarus will be allowed to transfer nuclear weapons on their territory.
Location of Belarus. Graphics: DW
Ngoc Anh (Follow Reuters)
