Europe Imposes Sanctions on Belarus

“European leaders on Monday agreed to significantly toughen sanctions on Belarus and to bar European Union airlines from flying over the country’s airspace, dealing a potentially crushing blow to the economy, a day after Belarusian authorities forced down a civilian jet and pulled off a dissident journalist,” the Washington Post reports.

“The measures, backed by all 27 E.U. leaders, were an unusually fast and powerful response to the brazen move by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who on Sunday sent a MiG-29 fighter jet to snatch a Ryanair plane out of the sky as it was flying from Athens to Vilnius, Lithuania, and arrest one of its passengers, Roman Protasevich, the founder of an opposition media outlet.”

New York Times: “There was no indication, however, that the intensified squeeze would alter Mr. Lukashenko’s resolve — especially with President Vladimir Putin of Russia steadfast in his support.”

Wall Street Journal: What happened to the Ryanair flight?