The head of the NAM, Pavel Latushka, had a conversation with Czech Senator Jiri Drahos on the participation of the Lukashenko regime in the war against Ukraine and the need to bring it to adequate accountability Lukashenka has provided Russia with a foothold for hostilities and fully supports Russia in the war against Ukraine. Continuous missile and air strikes on Ukrainian territory are carried out from the territory of Belarus, as well as a ground invasion of Ukraine. Lukashenka is the same aggressor as Putin. At the same time, due to the unequal and out of sync sanctions against the regimes of Putin and Lukashenka by the EU and the US, Lukashenka benefits from the emergence of a "Belarusian offshore". In addition, the Lukashenka regime enjoys financial and other preferences from Russia for complicity in the war. As a result of the meeting, the interlocutors agreed that the EU and the US should impose additional sanctions on Lukashenka and his regime — identical to those imposed on Russia, and also begin a criminal investigation and prosecution of the dictator Lukashenka for war crimes.

Recall: as part of the anti-war movement, the NAM initiated a campaign to fully synchronize sanctions against Putin and Lukashenka regimes for military aggression against Ukraine. And also on the suspension of the activities of foreign companies and service providers in Belarus as well as in Russia. Yesterday Mishustin and Golovchenko held negotiations, during which the latter actively complained about us to his Russian colleague, asking him for economic assistance and recognizing the high vulnerability of the economy of the Lukashenka regime to sanctions. Firstly, this is the most eloquent signal that we are doing everything right. Yes, Golovchenko managed to beg Russia for help, but this only means that today the Kremlin is afraid of destabilization in occupied Belarus no less than the Lukashenka regime itself. Secondly, and it is important for all Belarusians to understand this, the sanctions and the destruction of the Belarusian economy are solely the responsibility of the occupying Russian and puppet Belarusian regimes, which unleashed a war with our brotherly Ukraine and dragged our country into it. Thirdly, the fate of Ukraine and Belarus, the freedom and independence of both countries are today closely connected. And right now, it is Ukraine that pays an unimaginably high price for its freedom and independence, defending it at the cost of thousands of human lives. The least we can do in this situation is to actively deprive Putin and Lukashenko of the resources to continue the war with Ukraine and the occupation of Belarus. Each organization that sets as its goals opposition to the regimes of Putin and Lukashenko, ending the war with Ukraine and the occupation of Belarus can support our campaign and together with us call on foreign businesses to suspend their activities in the Belarusian market. Sample letter: link here. We also invite all structures representing the democratic forces of Belarus to join forces to synchronize sanctions against both regimes and eliminate the "Belarusian offshore", which allows Lukashenka to earn money in the war, and Putin to bypass part of the imposed sanctions. Not a cent for war and occupation!

Lukashenka is responsible for the acts of aggression against Ukraine As part of the anti-war movement, Pavel Latushka and representatives of the NAM team are actively communicating to foreign media the position of the need to separate the actions of the Lukashenka regime, which carries out aggression against Ukraine and Belarusian society, from the Belarusians who do not support the regime’s war crimes. All responsibility for decision-making lies with the dictator Lukashenka, who illegally holds power in Belarus, as well as his accomplices who commit international criminal offenses. Pavel Latushka and representatives of the NAM team gave interviews to the following foreign and Belarusian media over the past three days: Ukraine 24, 1+1, Washington post, Rzeczpospolita, Radio Racja, Belsat, Malanka, Polsat news, "Popular Politics", Nexta, BGM, Real Belarus and many others. It is important to prevent Lukashenka from avoiding responsibility for the crimes committed, as well as to apply symmetrical sanctions against Lukashenka’s regime and Russia for the act of aggression against Ukraine. Special attention during the interview is paid to the importance of helping Belarusians who find themselves in a difficult situation both in Ukraine and in the countries of the European Union.

How Putin became a “useful idiot” for Lukashenko, and Lukashenko became an accidental darling of the West Article by NAU head Pavel Latushko for Rzeczpospolita (PL) The paradoxical nature of the current situation lies in the fact that the Lukashenka regime, totally dependent on the Kremlin, under the conditions of unprecedented sanctions against Russia and at the same time already actually called a co-aggressor in the war against Ukraine — even in this situation, it manages to get out of the water relatively dry. Sanctions against Russia for the unleashed war against Ukraine are destroying its economy. The pre-default state is already a fixed reality for this country (CCC is Russia's credit rating for today). In fact, Russia has already declared a technical default (an example is a decree on the possibility of settling debts in Russian rubles with “unfriendly countries”, which is a gross violation of debt obligations). Next comes the inevitable default. The current situation with sanctions against Russia, on the one hand, casts doubt on the likelihood of its further credit support to Belarus. But on the other hand, in the absence of mirror sanctions against the latter, it creates an offshore zone in Belarus, which enables the Lukashenka regime to be in much more favorable conditions than Russia. And actively earn while Russia is sliding further and further into the abyss. In fact, Putin's former "useful idiot" Lukashenka is now changing places with him. And while Russia takes on the entire sanctions blow, Belarus only touches on a tangent. And this is the grossest mistake of Western governments and international sanctions regulators. The non-application of sanctions against the regime in Belarus, identical to those already taken against Russia, creates an extremely favorable situation for Lukashenka. He still provides Russia with his territory to carry out military operations against Ukraine and thus "pays off" his former debts to the Kremlin. At the same time, while maintaining the ability to stay afloat yourself, earning offshore status. To put it simply, for completely inexplicable reasons, today it is not even the Kremlin, but the West that is helping Lukashenka to stay in power despite the fact that it considers him a co-aggressor in the war against Ukraine. And thus preserves the Kremlin foothold for the continuation of hostilities. A foothold without which the Russian invasion of Ukraine would have been much more difficult. Such an inconsistent position of the West towards Lukashenka, in our opinion, can be regarded either as banal myopia or as gross negligence: as in relation to the Ukrainian people, against whom right now there is a cruel war going on (and to a large extent from the territory of Belarus), and the Belarusian people, who have been experiencing mass repressions for a year and a half, unleashed by the same regime that let Russian troops into Belarus. The West can correct this negligence only by eliminating the huge sanctions hole in the form of the Belarusian offshore. And this must be done immediately.

Amendments to the Law on Refugees from Ukraine for Belarusians adopted The team of the National's Anti-Crisis Management is in constant contact with the Polish deputies of the Sejm and the Senate in order to ensure the rights of Belarusians who have become refugees from Ukraine. Profile committees of the Polish Senate today approved amendments to the Law on Refugees from Ukraine, adding to its application to Belarusian citizens who were forced to leave Ukraine for Poland. The basis for the decision of the specialized commissions of the Senate was that the citizens of Belarus were twice victims. At first — from the Lukashenka regime, and now — from the war in Ukraine.

Belarus' exports to the EU grew by 13%, the trade balance is positive. Sanctions? And what is it? Export deliveries of goods from Belarus in early 2022 amounted to 3.279 billion USD in equivalent (+33.4% since 2021). Imports of goods to Belarus from other countries reached 2.999 billion USD (+23.1%). As a result of the outstripping export growth, a positive balance of 280 million USD was formed. A year earlier, a similar balance was equal to 21 million USD in equivalent. These are the operational estimates of Belstat. According to the results of January 2022, the leading role in the trade of goods with the outside world remained with the Russian direction. The share of the Russian Federation in the first month of the year was 48.8% (against 48.2% in 2021). This means that Russia has not only retained its importance for Belarus, but has also increased its share of the pie at the expense of the shares of other countries. Belarus' exports to Russia rose to 1.243 billion USD, it increased by 23.4% compared to 2021. The import of Belarusians from this country rose by 34.4% to 1.818 billion USD. As a result, the chronically negative trade balance with the Russian Federation also increased since last year — from 346 to 576 million USD. The second most important area of Belarusian trade is the EU states. In January 2022, exports to the EU amounted to 714 million USD, and imports — 346 million USD. Exports grew by 13% compared to 2021, and imports by 3.9%. As a result, the positive balance of trade with the EU increased from 299 to 368 million USD.

The head of the NAM Pavel Latushka held conversations with a number of deputies of the European Parliament: with the former Prime Minister of Lithuania, European deputy Andrius Kubilius, rapporteur on Belarus in the European Parliament Petras Austravicius, and also sent letters to the deputies of the parliament, who are part of the group on relations with Belarus headed with MP Robert Bedron. The main topics of conversations and appeals: Synchronization of sanctions against the Lukashenka regime with those applied against Russia for an act of aggression. The need to separate the perception of the position of the Belarusian society from the actions of the Lukashenka regime. The importance of bringing Lukashenka and his accomplices to justice for crimes related to military aggression against Ukraine. An agreement was reached to assist in establishing contacts with a group of UK lawyers dealing with this topic. The issue of suspension of Belarus membership in a number of international organizations, including Interpol, as well as deprivation of accreditation of the representative of Belarus to the Council of Europe was discussed. Belarus will be discussed at a meeting of a special group in the European Parliament.

How to make the WHOLE WORLD know that Belarusians are against the war and strengthen our anti-war flash mob? Right now, a very important flash mob is taking place in social networks: “I, a citizen of the Republic of Belarus, am the supra of the Belarusian nation of Belarus and the wine of the Russian supra nation of Ukraine” On March 2, the UN General Assembly adopted a Resolution condemning Russia's war against Ukraine. 5 countries opposed the resolution: Russia, North Korea, Eritrea, Syria, and Belarus. That is, the permanent representative of Belarus to the UN Valentin Rybakov supported the war on behalf of our country. On the international stage. Despite the will of the Belarusian people. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE? The fact is that the issue of non-recognition of Lukashenka as president and non-recognition of his government has not yet been resolved. Both remain recognized in the world. And with them all their representatives in international organizations, including the UN. This gives them the opportunity to officially vote and make decisions on our behalf. WHAT TO DO? You are already doing a very important thing - expressing your civil position in social networks and participating in an anti-war flash mob. We propose to make it known to the whole world. And loudly declare that the Permanent Representative of Belarus to the UN does not represent our position and is not authorized to vote on our behalf. 1) Post this text on your social networks (if this did not): I am a citizen of the Republic of Belarus, am against Belarus' participation in Russia’s war against Ukraine. I demand the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Belarus. I want my country to become a safe area, not to take part in the war and not to support Russia in it! 2) Tag EU, US government accounts in your post and other countries, as well as the UN. List of accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter 3) Duplicate your requests in the comments of these accounts. We Belarusians are against war! And no one has the right to support it on our behalf!

The NAM sent a number of requests to suspend the powers of the Lukashenka regime in the international arena and bring Lukashenka and his accomplices to criminal liability Depriving the Lukashenka regime of the right to represent the interests of Belarus in the international arena and bringing him to criminal responsibility for committing war crimes and an act of aggression against Ukraine are the priorities of the NAM team at the moment. What has been done by our team lately? 1) We have applied to a number of international organizations, including the International Monetary Fund and the Council of Europe, with a demand to suspend the regime powers and deprive the accreditation of representatives of the Lukashenka regime in these organizations. 2) The NAM team also appealed to the International Criminal Court and the participating countries with a request to give a legal assessment and consider the equal role of the Lukashenka regime in Putin’s act of aggression against Ukraine within the framework of Ukraine’s application against Russia. 3) In addition, an appeal was sent to the General Prosecutor of Ukraine with a request to initiate criminal proceedings against the senior command staff of the Lukashenka regime on the fact of complicity in the aggression against Ukraine and placing these persons on the Interpol wanted list. 4) Work continues in the direction of applying sanctions to the Lukashenka regime that are symmetrical to those already adopted against Russia. Belarus cannot and should not become an offshore country for Putin’s aggression against Ukraine. Time to act!

Belarus and Russia were deprived of the right to export woodworking products On March 8, 2022, the International Board of Directors of FSC decided to suspend the export certification of woodworking and forestry products from Belarus and Russia. The decision comes into force on March 14. The reason for this decision was the aggression of Russia and Belarus against Ukraine, as well as repressions against workers in this area in Belarus. After the analysis, it was decided to temporarily suspend certification in Belarus. This decision will have the effect of canceling the current certification of enterprises in Belarus without the possibility of acquiring new certificates, which suspends the export of forest industry products. The issuance of certificates may be resumed as soon as circumstances in Belarus allow for an objective and impartial assessment of the situation without compromising the safety of those involved and stopping the aggression against Ukraine. A preliminary investigation of the above circumstances was conducted by the NAM together with journalists from Belsat and Nexta.

An appeal was submitted to the Czech Foreign Ministry on the importance of symmetrical sanctions against the Lukashenka regime Head of the NAM Pavel Latushka had a conversation with the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Warsaw Jakub Duerr. During the conversation, the importance was emphasized not to identify the actions of the Lukashenka regime aimed at participating in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine with the position of the Belarusian society, which opposes both the war and the dictator. The importance of applying symmetrical sanctions against both Russia and the Lukashenka regime was noted in order to avoid the creation of an economic offshore in Belarus. The issue of the importance of bringing the dictator Lukashenka and his accomplices to justice for complicity in war crimes against the Ukrainian people was discussed separately. Pavel Latushka conveyed through the Ambassador of the Czech Republic a corresponding appeal to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

Lukashenka should not be allowed to take the role of a "mediator". Lukashenka is an aggressor and a participant in the war against Ukraine. The dictator is trying to get out. It is important that the West does not buy this fake mediation. It is important for us to separate the Belarusians and the dictator. We have been fighting for a year and a half against Lukashenka’s regime. Lukashenka became a real tool in the hands of Putin after August 9, 2020. The EU made a geopolitical mistake in 2020 when it did not actively support thousands of Belarusians who took to the streets in protest. Lukashenka is a war criminal. He bears absolutely equal responsibility to the Belarusian and Ukrainian people for all the crimes he committed.