The European Union on Monday extended for another year its remaining sanctions on Belarus and warned that getting them lifted depended on Minsk making progress on fundamental freedoms. In February last year, the EU ended nearly all of its sanctions against Belarus, including those targeting strongman President Alexander Lukashenko, citing improvements in its human rights record.
These included asset freezes and travel bans against 170 individuals and three entities. The EU however maintained measures against four people linked to the disappearance of two opposition politicians, plus an arms embargo against the country as a whole. In a statement Monday, the European Council, which groups the bloc's 28 member states, said these sanctions would remain in force and the EU would watch progress closely.
"Tangible steps taken by Belarus to respect universal fundamental freedoms, rule of law and human rights will remain key for the shaping of the EU's future policy towards Belarus," it said.