Biden Administration Weighs New Sanctions Against Belarus

The Biden administration is contemplating a new round of financial sanctions targeting Belarus and its authoritarian leader following a top dissident appealed to U.S. officers for stronger U.S. action, in accordance to members in conferences final 7 days in Washington.

The new sanctions would be in addition to punitive measures imposed by the administration before this 12 months and would purpose to further isolate the leader, Alexander Lukashenko, practically a 12 months following he initiated a crackdown on a popular rebellion in the state, in accordance to a Belarusian political adviser.

The administration’s deliberations come on the heels of a stop by to Washington final 7 days by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who opposed Mr. Lukashenko in final year’s contested election. In conferences with lawmakers and senior administration officers, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya pressed for more durable sanctions.

Ms. Tsikhanouskaya fulfilled with President Biden’s major two foreign-coverage aides, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of Condition Antony Blinken. Mr. Biden did not meet with the dissident leader.

Franak Viacorka, a senior adviser to Ms. Tsikhanouskaya, claimed Condition Section officers indicated their intent to enact new sanctions, specifically on the Belarusian potash and crude-oil sectors, which Ms. Tsikhanouskaya claimed are close to Mr. Lukashenko, in addition to becoming critical pieces of the country’s economic climate.