Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs (JV) called for the extension of sanctions against Belarus at a meeting of the European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Council, the Foreign Ministry said.
At the meeting, EU foreign ministers discussed the Gulf countries, the Eastern Partnership, Ethiopia and Nicaragua. Taking into account the developments since September 15, 2021, when the Taliban took over the real power in Afghanistan, as well as the topicality of the issue on the EU agenda, an exchange of views took place on the situation in Afghanistan.
At the meeting, the ministers discussed the preparations for the sixth Eastern Partnership summit, which is scheduled for 15 December and 16 December in Brussels. The main topic of the summit will be the future of the Eastern Partnership policy.
Mr Rinkēvičs expressed support for deepening co-operation with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, including the prospect of gradual integration into the EU internal market and deepening co-operation in the field of security. “Strengthening resilience must be the main task of the future Eastern Partnership policy, especially against disinformation and security,” the Latvian Foreign Minister emphasized.
Speaking about the sanctions policy against the Belarussian regime, Rinkēvičs expressed the position that the EU should continue to put pressure on Belarus by developing a fifth round of sanctions.
“Until the situation at the European Union’s external borders improves, our message should remain clear: sanctions against Belarus will be increased, including against Belarusian state airline Belavia and other Belarusian legal entities involved in the Belarusian hybrid operation. We also count on the European Commission’s support in the fight against “disinformation from Belarus regarding the situation on the eastern border of the European Union,” said Rinkevich.
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