Belarus to license Ukrainian imports

Belarus has imposed licensing for a number of imported goods from Ukraine.

"According to recent information, Belarus has imposed an individual licensing regime for imports of a number of Ukrainian goods: confectionery, chocolate, juices, beer, chipboard and fiberboard, wallpaper, toilet paper and packaging, bricks, ceramic tiles, glass ampoules, agricultural machinery for sowing, washing machines, and furniture. This decision was approved by resolution No. 292 of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated May 26," Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Development of Economy, Trade, and Agriculture and Trade Envoy Taras Kachka wrote on Facebook.

Read alsoKuleba explains when Ukraine completely stops buying electricity from Russia, BelarusAccording to the official, the decision will come into force 10 days after its publication and will be in effect for six months.

"Such actions are unreasonable and discriminatory. The individual licensing mode means manual control of imports of Ukrainian products to Belarus. The government is consulting with manufacturers to eliminate the negative consequences of the Belarusian government's discriminatory actions," he added.

Previous developments

• Ukraine halted air traffic with Belarus from 00:00 Kyiv time on May 26, 2021. What is more, Ukrainian airlines and aircraft are not allowed to enter Belarusian airspace.
• On May 23, 2021, Belarus scrambled a MiG-29 fighter jet to forcedly land a Ryanair plane in Minsk. The plane was heading from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania. Co-founder of Telegram's opposition channel NEXTA, Roman Protasevich, was on board the plane.
• The plane was diverted to Minsk at the command of Belarusian air traffic controllers over a possible bomb threat, despite the fact that the distance to Vilnius was much shorter. After the plane landed, Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend were detained. Protasevich faces the death penalty in Belarus.
• On May 26, 2021, Ukraine halted flights with Belarus. On the same day, Ukraine's National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC) banned imports of Russian and Belarusian electricity to Ukraine until October 1, 2021.
• On May 28, 2021, Ukraine's government approved a ban on the use of Ukrainian airspace by Belarusian aircraft.