Ukraine opposes easing sanctions against fertiliser producer Belaruskali – Ukrainian Foreign Ministry

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said that Ukraine does not support the easing of sanctions against Belarusian fertiliser producer Belaruskali – on the contrary, it advocates increasing the pressure.

Source: Sybiha in response to a question from European Pravda during a joint press conference with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Kyiv

Details: Commenting on reports that Ukraine's partners are trying to persuade it to ease sanctions pressure on Belarus, Sybiha said Kyiv is categorically opposed to such a move.

Quote: "We reject any approaches related to easing pressure on the aggressor. On the contrary, pressure must be increased, and we have received a position paper from the Belarusian side regarding new sanctions."

Details: Sybiha declined to comment on Western media reports suggesting that the US administration is seeking to persuade Ukraine to reduce this pressure.

However, he noted that there is no point attempting to influence Ukraine because this will not help change the pro-Russian policy of the regime of self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko.

Quote: "There should be no illusions that any easing of pressure will pull Belarus out of Russia's sphere of influence. It will not. He [Lukashenko] is too deeply invested and too closely integrated with the Russians."

Background:

• Bloomberg reported that the US is pressuring Ukraine to lift restrictions on Belarusian fertilisers, which are an important source of funding for the regime.
• There have also been reports that Lithuania has acknowledged coming under pressure from the US regarding Belarusian fertilisers, although Lithuanian officials later denied that the minister in question had made such an admission.

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