EU to impose sanctions on Belarus following forced landing of plane


European Union leaders on Monday agreed to impose new economic sanctions against Belarus, after the country's authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko forced a Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania to land in Minsk on Sunday so authorities could arrest Roman Protasevich, a dissident journalist on board.
Already, there are sanctions in place against Lukashenko and other top officials in response to the violent crackdown on protesters last year during Belarus' disputed presidential election. Protasevich is the co-founder and former editor of the NEXTA Telegram channel, one of the few opposition outlets still in existence following the demonstrations. Protasevich has been living in Lithuania, and was accused of inciting hatred and mass disorder; he faces 12 years in prison if convicted.
In addition to sanctions, the EU leaders want planes to steer clear of Belarusian airspace and ban Belarus' national airline from flying over or into any EU territories. Lukashenko's move was "the test of the West," Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics told The Washington Post on Monday. "But it was also a show of force and confidence to his own people and the opposition: 'Look, I can come and get you anyway.' This is an inter-European flight, from Athens to Vilnius, with a European company performing the flight, with a person who is under European protection because he is an opposition activist. This is a direct attack against Europe."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Lithuanian authorities are working to determine whether anyone else — like Russia — was involved in forcing the plane to divert to Minsk, and want to know the whereabouts of three passengers who got off the plane at the airport but didn't get back on. "This was a major operation," a senior European official told the Post. "These were skilled professionals, skilled guys on board."
A video appeared on Telegram Monday evening featuring Protasevich delivering what was seemingly a coerced message, with the journalist saying he was being treated "as correctly as possible" and cooperated by giving "confessional testimony about the fact of organizing mass riots in the city of Minsk."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Ukraine scrambles as Trump cuts weapons deliveries
Speed Read The halting of weapons shipments was driven by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, a Ukraine funding skeptic
-
IAEA: Iran could enrich uranium 'within months'
Speed Read The chief United Nations nuclear inspector, Rafael Grossi, says Iran could be enriching uranium again soon
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
Iran nukes program set back months, early intel suggests
Speed Read A Pentagon assessment says US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites only set the program back by months, not years. This contradicts President Donald Trump's claim.
-
Trump says Iran and Israel agreed to ceasefire
Speed Read This followed a night of Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and multiple waves of missiles fired by Iran
-
Israel strikes Iran, killing military and nuclear chiefs
Speed Read Israeli officials said the attack was a 'preemptive' strike on Iran's nuclear program
-
Israel deports Thunberg after seizing Gaza aid boat
speed read The Swedish activist was delivering food and medical aid to Palestine, highlighting the growing humanitarian crisis there
-
Colombian senator shot on streets of Bogotá
speed read Miguel Uribe Turbay, who has announced his candidacy for next year's presidential election, was shot at a rally