EU to Punish Lukashenka's Allies

A decision will be taken at a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday.

There is not a migrant crisis on the border with Belarus but a hybrid attack in which Minsk is hiding behind the deceived people, European Union leaders say and promise to strengthen sanctions. At that, they threaten to punish not only Lukashenka but also foreign companies and even governments that help him, informs Belsat.

The EU countries will hit the airlines and governments that help Aliaksandr Lukashenka to deliver migrants to the borders of the European Union. This was stated by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in the Bundestag.

"A decision will be taken at a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday. Individuals and businesses actively involved in human trafficking will be subject to sanctions regardless of where in the world they are located. Other measures against the Lukashenka regime are being considered: extension of existing sanctions, as well as sectoral economic sanctions," listed Heiko Maas.

Turkish Airlines has already hastened to deny its involvement in the transportation of illegal migrants. Brussels is discussing sanctions against Russia's Aeroflot, Bloomberg reported. The information was confirmed by a Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman.

"Thinking of sanctions does not mean there will be sanctions. Yes, according to our information, Aeroflot supported this action of Lukashenka with people from the Middle East," said Lukasz Jasina on Echo of Moscow radio.

The U.S. National Security Council also promised to impose new sanctions against Minsk for "callous exploitation of vulnerable people. The U.S. president discussed the situation on the border of Belarus with the head of the European Commission. This is not a migration crisis, as Ursula von der Leyen sharply stated in Washington D.C.

"This is a hybrid attack on the part of an authoritarian regime to destabilize its democratic neighbours. It will not succeed. We will protect our democracies. We have agreed to cooperate with the migrant flow origin countries for them to take care of their citizens and avoid the trap of the Lukashenka regime," said the head of the European Commission.

The Iraqi embassy in Moscow has posted on its website information about another flight to take those who want to leave Belarus.