BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th June, 2021) German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday that the European Union would keep up pressure on Belarus until its government changes its ways.
EU leaders agreed at last week's summit to impose broad economic sanctions on Belarus, targeting its key export industries and banning European banks from approving new loans to the eastern European country.
"We have implemented a wide-ranging sanctions regime, which is beginning to take effect, and we will not of course let up as long as the situation in Belarus does not change," she said during a German-French parliamentary meeting.
The EU criticized Belarus last year for cracking down on protests, which were called by the opposition after its candidate lost the August presidential election to incumbent Alexander Lukashenko. Minsk accuses the West of trying to destabilize the country.
