Russia has warned the West and Ukraine of ‘disastrous consequences’ if Kyiv goes ahead with plans to impose sanctions on Belarus. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the comments during a press conference with his Belarusian counterpart, Vladimir Makei, in Minsk on Tuesday. The two diplomats discussed the situation in Belarus, where President Alexander Lukashenko has been in power since 1994 and faces growing protests against his rule. The European Union and the United States have expressed support for the protesters and have threatened to impose sanctions on Belarus if it does not hold free and fair elections. Russia, which has close ties with Belarus, has condemned the Western interference and has warned of retaliation.
