RUSI

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called on European governments to maintain sanctions and diplomatic isolation of Alexander Lukashenko's regime. In an interview with The Parliament Magazine, she argued that easing pressure would weaken the opposition and embolden Minsk. Her remarks come as debate continues in Europe over whether engagement or firmness best serves change in Belarus.

Estonia has moved to prohibit the transit of Russian and Belarusian grain across its territory, tightening pressure on Moscow and Minsk amid the war in Ukraine. The move targets flows that previously moved through the Baltic state toward European markets, and officials frame it as a sanctions-alignment step. Reactions are divided between those welcoming a tougher stance and those warning of economic fallout for local transit firms.