EU Vows to Keep Sanctioning Countries 'Helping Russia' in Ukraine Op, Including Iran and Belarus

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Union will continue to sanction those suspected of assisting Russia in its military operation in Ukraine, which may include Belarus and Iran, as well as some other states, Peter Stano, a spokesman of the European External Action Service, said on Thursday.

"We will continue sanctioning those who are assisting, helping and supporting in this illegal behavior by Russia, that means Belarus but also Iran and other people and entities from other countries if necessary," Stano said.

The spokesman also noted that EU member states have prerogatives to decide whether to impose sanctions on Belarus for its alleged assistance to Russia's efforts in the Ukrainian conflict.

"If there are entities or individuals from Belarus being put in the sanction list in the individual packages, this all depends on the member states and the way they agree on shaping these packages," Stano said, answering the question on whether Ukraine was influencing EU decisions to sanction Belarus.

Western countries have repeatedly accused Iran of supplying combat drones to Russia for hostilities in Ukraine. No concrete evidence proving such claim has been presented yet, with both Moscow and Tehran rejecting the allegation.

Russian soldiers undergo training

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The West has also accused Minsk of supporting Moscow in its military operation in Ukraine, in particular by allowing Russian troops and aircraft to enter Ukraine from the territory of Belarus and stationing Russian missile launchers. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in October that Minsk had no intention of participating in hostilities in Ukraine, especially since there have been no such requests.