“Lukashenka has united the West.” Experts assess the joint sanctions decision and Minsk’s possible response

Western countries have reached agreement among themselves and collectively adopted (https://news.zerkalo.io/economics/6648.html) large-scale sanctions against Belarusian companies and individuals whom they consider involved in the escalation of the migration crisis on the EU border and in repression against Belarusians.

And while Brussels had long warned that restrictive measures were being prepared, the accession (https://news.zerkalo.io/economics/6662.html) of other influential countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada) to this tough step may have come as a surprise to Minsk.

Experts explain what lies behind the collective position of the West and how the Belarusian authorities may respond to it.

The escalation of the migration crisis, which raised the issue of security on the EU’s eastern border, did not split Western countries but instead brought them together in formulating a common response to the problem.

Brussels saw this response as increased sanctions pressure on Minsk, which it considers responsible for organizing migration flows toward Poland and Lithuania.

It was supported by other important Western centers: Washington, London, and Ottawa.
– If the actions of the Belarusian authorities in provoking the migration crisis on the western border, among other things, were intended to create a certain split among EU countries, then this did not succeed.

Rather, the position of Western countries has become even more consolidated, and the synchronization of positions on sanctions shows that Alexander Lukashenka, through his actions, has united the West, says Andrei Kazakevich, director of the Political Sphere Institute.

According to experts, the coordination of sanctions by different countries strengthens their effect, as a result of which they will lead to significant economic consequences.

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