The United States will soon lift sanctions on the Belarusian airline Belavia and plan to return the US embassy to Minsk.
Points of attention
- US is lifting sanctions on Belavia airline and preparing to return the US embassy to Minsk, signaling a potential shift in diplomatic relations.
- The decision to lift sanctions on Belavia was approved by the US President and relevant departments, with plans for a future full embassy in Belarus.
- The lifting of sanctions on Belavia is seen as a step towards normalization in US-Belarus relations despite previous actions such as embassy closure and sanctions.
The US began to “befriend” Belarus
Yes, the corresponding statements were made by the representative of the US President, John Cole.
This decision (to lift sanctions — ed.) was made by the president, who said: "Do it immediately." Now the decision, which has already been approved, has been accepted by all relevant ministries and departments involved in this work.
He also added that the lifting of sanctions on Belavia Airlines is just the beginning.
I know that we want the embassy (US — ed.) back. I know that it will come back. This is a matter of the near future. We want to have an ambassador, we want to have a full embassy here. And we will work on it, — added the representative of the US president at a meeting with Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko.
It should be noted that on February 28, 2022, the US State Department issued an order to withdraw US civil servants and to close the embassy in Minsk due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In August 2024, the US added Belavia to its sanctions list. Earlier, in June, the US Department of Commerce extended export restrictions on the airline for 180 days.
The Belarusian airline is also under EU sanctions. EU countries imposed sanctions on Belavia in 2021.
This happened against the backdrop of a migration crisis on the border with the European Union, as well as after a Ryanair plane was forced to land due to a mine threat. Last year, the Court of General Jurisdiction of the European Union rejected a lawsuit by Belavia, which demanded the lifting of European sanctions.
