In concert with the European Union, the United States should move to reimpose sanctions on President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus.
Since Sunday’s election, which he appears to have legitimately lost, Lukashenko has deployed his security forces onto the streets to smash protesting Belarusians into submission.
Even though the vast majority of analysts and the available evidence suggest that Lukashenko lost the election to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, he claims to have secured 80% of the vote share. Unsurprisingly, this hasn’t earned much sympathy from Belarusians who have lived under Lukashenko’s one-man rule for the last 26 years.
The Trump administration was initially slow to respond to the injustice, but it has now pledged to support the Belarusian people. Speaking in the Czech Republic on Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated, “We care deeply about the Belarusian people, we want the people of Belarus to have the freedoms they are demanding.” Offering similar words, the EU is considering whether sanctions should be reintroduced.
The need for a coordinated stance against Lukashenko is urgent. As Belarus enters another night of protests, protesters can expect to face ferocious attacks from Lukashenko’s thugs. Security forces fired live rounds at protesters on Tuesday night, with a BBC news crew also coming under attack. This measure of aggression reflects Lukashenko’s utter disregard for his own people, and his confidence that he will face no serious reprisals.
Indeed, the president has much gall. On Wednesday, Lukashenko held a televised meeting with top officials in which he pledged to “ensure the security of our citizens, protect the constitutional order and ensure the normal functioning of state governing bodies.” The Sovietic display of absurdity included various officials diligently taking diligent as Lukashenko spoke.
Fortunately, there is a clear path forward. The U.S. and EU should warn Lukashenko that unless he agrees to hold free and fair elections, sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans that were lifted in 2016, will be reintroduced. Any new sanctions should also be broadened to include officials involved in the current crackdown. Considering his present temperament and evident sense of entitlement, it may be necessary to impose further sanctions on Lukashenko if the first round does not achieve its intended effect.
Regardless, we should not turn away from the images of innocent citizens being beaten down, run over, and shot simply for their protests. Belarusians live in the final outpost of European tyranny. They are now taking courageous action in pursuit of a better future, and they deserve the West’s ready support.
