Thread by @DaveKeating

EU High Rep @JosepBorrellF on new #Belarus sanctions following EU foreign ministers' meeting:

"We are looking at all possible solutions to stop the Lukashenko regime from targeting us, and targeting its own population."
audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/ebs/live/2?…

Though the legal basis to expand the EU's sanctions against Belarus was adopted today, the specific list of who/what will be sanctioned was not.

That will be adopted in the coming days, Borrell says.

Borrell's message to migrants: "The road to the EU does not lead through #Belarus."

EU is "providing information in order to avoid people being instrumentalised and weaponised with a political objective. This is illegal, and inhuman."

"This crisis has been artificially created"

Borrell says Russia's recent build-up of troops at its border with #Ukraine is "worrying".

There is concern Russia may be preparing an invasion. Borrell says the EU's "support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine is unwavering".

Borrell asked whether the Ukraine military preparations and the Belarus border offensive are related (Putin orchestrating distraction in Belarus in preparation for a Ukraine invasion).

"Maybe," Borrell says. "I'm not [privy] to the secret talks between Putin and Lukashenko."

"It’s clear that Lukashenko is doing what he’s doing because he has the strong support of Russia, even if Russia says they have nothing to do with it," Borrell says.

"If Secretary Blinken said that, he must have good reason for it," he says.