Biden Administration Weighs New Sanctions Against Belarus

The Biden administration is thinking about a new round of financial sanctions targeting Belarus and its authoritarian leader after a primary dissident appealed to U.S. officials for more robust U.S. action, in accordance to contributors in meetings past week in Washington.

The new sanctions would be in addition to punitive measures imposed by the administration previously this year and would intention to additional isolate the leader, Alexander Lukashenko, approximately a year after he initiated a crackdown on a well-liked uprising in the state, in accordance to a Belarusian political adviser.

The administration’s deliberations come on the heels of a check out to Washington past week by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who opposed Mr. Lukashenko in past year’s contested election. In meetings with lawmakers and senior administration officials, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya pressed for tougher sanctions.

Ms. Tsikhanouskaya satisfied with President Biden’s top rated two overseas-policy aides, national protection adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of Point out Antony Blinken. Mr. Biden did not meet with the dissident leader.

Franak Viacorka, a senior adviser to Ms. Tsikhanouskaya, explained Point out Division officials indicated their intent to enact new sanctions, especially on the Belarusian potash and crude-oil sectors, which Ms. Tsikhanouskaya explained are close to Mr. Lukashenko, in addition to remaining crucial pieces of the country’s economy.