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Euromaidanpress
Euromaidan Press
31 Jan 2025
Maria Tril


Failed sanctions policy on Belarus strengthens Putin’s grip on country – Bloomberg

Western sanctions against Belarus have failed their original goals and are pushing the country closer to Moscow, Bloomberg reports.
Belarus
Protesters hold banners and old Belarusian national flags during a demonstration demanding freedom for Belarus opposition activist Raman Protasevich, in front of the US Embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, May 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis
Failed sanctions policy on Belarus strengthens Putin’s grip on country – Bloomberg

Belarus will likely face deepening isolation with Western sanctions, Bloomberg reported on 30 January.

The recent election, where President Alexander Lukashenko claimed 86.8% of the vote, triggered new penalties from the European Union.

The sanctions aimed to pressure Lukashenko to hold fair elections and release political prisoners. They also sought to stop Belarus from supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These goals remain unmet, according to the report.

Belarus holds strategic importance for both NATO and Russia. The country borders the Suwalki Gap, a 65-kilometer corridor along the Polish-Lithuanian border. This route could connect Russian forces to Kaliningrad while cutting off Baltic states from NATO support.

Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, sought a seventh term in office. He secured another term as Belarus’s president with 86.8% of the vote in an election that faced strong international criticism calling it a “sham.”

The election occurred without oversight from credible international organizations. Lukashenko’s administration declined to invite the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) observers, effectively preventing an independent assessment of the voting process. 

Over 1,200 political prisoners remain in Belarusian jails. Polling stations appeared empty despite official claims of 86% turnout.

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