Our work to increase pressure on the Lukashenko regime is yielding results

Today the EU adopted the 20th sanctions package against Russia, which also concerns the role of the Lukashenko regime in supporting the Kremlin's aggressive war against Ukraine. It includes enterprises linked to the Belarusian military-industrial complex and the Lukashenko regime. For the first time, a Chinese state organisation is being targeted due to its role in the production of Belarusian military goods. Sanctions can now apply to individuals from third countries (neither Belarus nor the EU) if they assist in supplying prohibited goods to Belarus.

In particular, sanctions have been imposed on Volat-Sanziang LLC, its Chinese founder, and Belarusian Oil Company CJSC. Volat-Sanziang is a Belarusian-Chinese joint venture established with the participation of the Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant. It produces wheeled chassis for military equipment, including multiple rocket launch systems. Belarusian Oil Company CJSC is Belarus's leading oil exporter and is owned by several of the largest oil extraction and refining enterprises in the Republic of Belarus, including Belarusneft and Naftan.

In addition, the package includes measures analogous to those imposed on Russia — in particular, new trade restrictions, cryptocurrency restrictions, and restrictions on the provision of cybersecurity and tourism services. Harmonisation continues.

Diamond tracking requirements have also been strengthened, obliging importers of processed diamonds to provide a due diligence declaration confirming that the diamonds were not mined, processed, or manufactured in Russia. Belarus is known to have been a transit point for Russian diamonds.

As far back as 20 November 2023, the NAM had reported on the threat of sanctions circumvention targeting Russia's diamond industry via Belarus and had transmitted this data to the European Commission. A report on this matter was also published on 23 November 2023 in the major European outlet European Interest Media.

Any transactions involving the "Belarusian digital ruble" have also been prohibited — the launch of which the National Bank of Belarus had planned for the second half of 2026. The EU is effectively blocking this system before its full launch, depriving the regime of the ability to use it to circumvent sanctions. And we had warned the regime.

For the first time in history, the EU is activating its anti-circumvention instrument, prohibiting the export of any computers with numerical control and radio stations to Kyrgyzstan, where there is a high risk that these products will be re-exported to Russia. All these measures will be supplemented by a strengthened ban on transit through Russian territory. The list of goods prohibited from transit through Belarus has also been expanded. Finally, the EU is introducing an import quota on ammonia.

The proposals of the NAM and the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus on sanctions against third countries, trade quotas, and transit restrictions had been consistently put forward as far back as 2023–2025. The EU had until recently refused to adopt such radical measures, but now this has become a reality for the European Union.

"Our efforts have yielded results. The EU's 20th sanctions package is, in part, the implementation of the systematic proposals of the NAM and the United Transitional Cabinet. For the first time, not only regime enterprises but also international evasion schemes have come under fire. We continue to close the 'Belarusian offshore' for Russian diamonds and technologies. This is a qualitative transition from targeted pressure to a strategy of 'full encirclement'," 

— stated Pavel Latushka, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and Head of the NAM.

Sanctions against the Lukashenko regime have been extended by the EU Council until 28 February 2027.

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