The United States is trying to punish Belarus for lightning

The United States has moved to punish Belarus for forced landing of a Ryanair flight last weekend announcing it would reimpose sanctions on nine of the country’s state-owned companies and join the EU to develop a list of additional targets.

In a statement Friday afternoon, Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said Washington was taking steps “along with our partners and allies, to hold the regime accountable for its actions and demonstrate our commitment to the aspirations of the people of Belarus ”.

On Sunday, Belarusian authorities diverted a Ryanair plane traveling between Greece and Lithuania to Minsk so they could arrest a dissident on board.

The blatant gesture sparked a wave of Western condemnation against the president Alexander Lukashenkothe government, which is closely allied with Russia and its President Vladimir Putin, and the EU’s swift action to punish Belarus. The United States responded more slowly, but began taking action on Friday.

Psaki said that as of June 3, the U.S. would reimpose “total blockade sanctions” against nine Belarusian state-owned companies that had previously received sanctions from the U.S. Treasury Department.

In addition, the White House press secretary said the United States was “developing a list of specific sanctions against key members” of the regime. Belarus which were “associated with the continuing human rights abuses and corruption, the falsification of the 2020 elections and the events of May 23.”

Psaki added that the Treasury Department would also prepare an executive order for President Joe Biden to sign authorizing “US authorities to impose sanctions on elements” of the regime in Belarus, as well as “its support network and those which support corruption, human rights abuses and attacks on democracy ”.

Washington’s crackdown also includes a U.S. State Department warning for U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to Belarus and a warning for U.S. passenger airlines to “exercise extreme caution when considering flying in the air.” ‘Belarusian airspace’ – although it does not seem to reach a total ban.

Earlier this week, the EU agreed to expand sanctions against Belarus and ban its state airline from block airports in response to the intercepted flight. Brussels also called for the immediate release of Roman Protasevich, one of the main activists, and his partner, Sofia Sapega, who were arrested after Ryanair’s flight was forced to land in Minsk.

The Washington measure could complicate progress on cim between Biden and Putin to be held in Geneva in mid-June in an effort by the two countries to fix relations that have deteriorated rapidly in recent months.