EU Leaders Confirm Readiness To Adopt Personal Sanctions Against Belarus

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd October, 2021) The EU leaders have confirmed readiness to further adopt personal sanctions against Belarus over the influx of migrants during a meeting on Friday, the European Council said.

Following the two-day summit on Thursday and Friday, the European Council adopted conclusions on COVID-19, digital, energy prices, migration, trade and external relations during the consultations in Brussels.

"The EU will continue countering the ongoing hybrid attack launched by the Belarusian regime, including by adopting further restrictive measures against persons and legal entities, in line with its gradual approach, as a matter of urgency," the council said in a document.

The EU leaders noted that the union "will not accept any attempt by non-EU countries to instrumentalise migrants for political purposes," adding that they are determined "to ensure effective control of the EU's external borders."

�Since August, when Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said EU sanctions left Minsk with no resources to restrain the flow of migrants to the EU any longer, Poland, as well as neighboring Lithuania and Latvia, have reported an increase in illegal crossing attempts. They accuse Belarus of encouraging the migration, which Minsk denies.