EU "Expanding Sanctions to Countries Providing Military Support to Russia, Including Belarus"

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Noh Kyung-jo] The European Union (EU) announced that it will expand sanctions to countries that have provided military support to Russia, including Belarus.

On the 10th (local time), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated at a NATO-EU joint press conference held at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, "We will expand sanctions to countries that have provided military support to Russia, such as Belarus and Iran."

She added, "No matter how long it takes, we will continue to apply pressure on Russia."

Since the late 1990s, Russia and Belarus have been pursuing the establishment of a "Union State," building a relationship beyond an alliance. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is regarded as relying on Russian President Vladimir Putin as his power base.

Since October last year, Belarus has allowed Russian troops to be stationed near its borders and has conducted joint exercises. Earlier, in February last year, Belarus provided a route for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Currently, about 9,000 Russian troops are known to be stationed near the Belarusian border. Additionally, starting from the 16th, Belarus and Russia plan to conduct air force tactical exercises together for about half a month, expanding the scope of their joint training.