WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd September, 2020) The European Union is considering imposing sanctions on up to 15 individuals from Belarus for allegedly taking part in election fraud and violence against protesters, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs George Kent said on Wednesday.
"My understanding is the EU... is thinking of about ten to fifteen Names," Kent said during a virtual panel discussion at the German Marshall Fund think tank on Wednesday.
Kent said the United States will continue to consult with its allies and partners in Europe to coordinate potential targeted sanctions against individuals connected to the unrest in Belarus.
Kent added that the United States is not considering at present a suspension of the waivers that allowed Belarus to buy North American crude oil earlier this year.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly accused Western nations of directly interfering in the country's internal affairs. Russia has also voiced concerns about foreign interference in Belarus' sovereign affairs.
On August 9, the Belarus opposition organized protests after disputing the results of the presidential election in which Lukashenko was reelected for a sixth term by winning 80 percent of the vote. The opposition insists that its candidate, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, won the election.
