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Foreign Minister Tsahkna: Sanctions on Belarus make it harder for Russia to avoid sanctions

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

01.07.2024

Entering into force today, the European Union made sanctions imposed on Belarus stricter to limit the country's ability to take part in Russia's aggression against Ukraine and prevent the circumvention of sanctions imposed on Russia by going through Belarus. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said it was important progress because it makes it much more difficult for Russia to circumvent sanctions.

"Additional sanctions are imposed in Belarus, connecting them more efficiently to the restrictive measures imposed against Russia," Tsahkna explained. "This limits Russia's options for using Belarus to access many goods it needs on the battlefield in its aggression against Ukraine."

Tsahkna said it has been a long-standing problem that while the EU has imposed widespread sanctions against Russia, the country has still been able to obtain the goods it needs to wage war through Belarus. "The new package of sanctions makes it much more difficult," Tsahkna said.

The sanctions package expands export bans to include previously unsanctioned goods, including dual-use goods and technology and goods contributing to Belarus' industrial capacity, such as coal, and also maritime navigation goods, several luxury goods, and goods and technology suitable for use in oil refining and liquefaction of natural gas.

Like the most recent sanctions package imposed on Russia, the export of manganese ore, rare earth compounds, plastics, electrical devices, machine tools and off-road vehicles to Belarus is banned, because all these raw materials and goods have been used by Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine.

Import bans are imposed on diamonds, mineral resources unsanctioned so far, such as oil and gold, and also coal and cars. The aim of the ban is to limit the options of Belarus to earn profits.

A transit ban through Belarus is imposed for dual-use goods and technologies, military and defence industry goods, goods that contribute to industrial capacity, and goods, weapons and machines used in the aviation and space sector.

The ban also covers the provision of services to several Belarusian state institutions and state-owned companies, as well as cooperation with the companies of Belarus' energy sector.

Following the example of sanctions imposed on Russia, a provision is added, compelling exporters to add a clause in their contract that prohibits their partners in third countries from exporting certain critical goods, such as weapons and ammunition, to Belarus.

All sanctions will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Additional information on sanctions on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.