EU bans most Belarus exports over Ukraine invasion

The European Union has banned most exports to Belarus over its involvement in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

On Wednesday, the EU agreed to ban 70 percent of exports from Belarus, with sanctions placed on wood, timber, steel and iron, Reuters reported.

The ban also affects cement, rubber, fuels and closes loopholes for some of the existing sanctions on the nation.

Along with the export bans, almost two dozen members of the Belarusian military were hit with economic sanctions. 

The move comes as Belarus has let Russian forces use its country as an entry point to attack Ukraine. American officials have also said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is preparing to send troops into Ukraine. 

The EU is also stopping many exports to Belarus that could be used to make weapons in areas such as advanced technologies, computers, electronics, telecoms, sensors and lasers, according to Reuters. 

Although the country’s banks weren’t affected in this round of sanctions, a European official said Belarusian banks being banned from the international SWIFT system is an additional step that “will come.”

The move comes the same day the White House said Belarus and Russia’s defense sector would be hit with new sanctions.