Latvia consistently maintains its position on strengthening sanctions against Belarus, Foreign Minister Baiba Braže told the LETA agency.
The minister noted that Latvia consistently advocates for further tightening of sanctions in response to "the policy of the regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko — repression against the Belarusian people, support for Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine, and hybrid attacks on the external border of the EU."
Braže emphasized that the repressive and destabilizing policies pursued by the Belarusian regime affect Latvia's security interests, and therefore, in the country's opinion, sanctions should remain in place until the Belarusian regime fundamentally changes this policy. According to her, there are currently no signals indicating such a change.
As reported by the Lithuanian public media, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda stated on Thursday that the EU maintains a tough and independent sanctions policy towards Belarus, despite the U.S. steps to ease some restrictions.
The statements by Braže and Nausėda followed Belarus's release of 250 political prisoners after negotiations with Washington.
In exchange for this, the U.S. lifted sanctions on key Belarusian entities, including the potash fertilizer producer Belaruskali, as well as Belinvestbank, the Development Bank, and the Ministry of Finance.
