REUTERS

Canada and Ireland have not recognized presidential election results in Belarus, and called for holding new elections.

"Canada does not accept the results of this fraudulent presidential election. We call for free & fair elections & a thorough investigation by the OSCE," Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs François-Philippe Champagne wrote on Twitter on August 17, 2020.

At the same time, Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney have condemned the human rights abuses in Belarus.

"We will continue to press the Belarusian authorities to release all civilians who were unjustly detained and we fully support the initiation of a process of targeted sanctions," he said in a statement on August 17, 2020.

Presidential elections in Belarus: global reactions

On August 14, the European Union announced it did not recognize the outcome of the presidential elections in Belarus and said work had begun to introduce sanctions over electoral fraud and violence against protesters.

Ukraine said it "generally shares" the position voiced by the EU, stopping short of direct non-recognition or recognition of election results.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the election result must be reviewed and those responsible for mistreatments of peaceful demonstrators must be sanctioned.

Estonia and Lithuania have agreed not to buy electricity from the Belarusian NPPs.

Pope Francis made a special address dedicated to the situation in Belarus, calling for an end to violence.

EU leaders will discuss the latest developments in Belarus on August 19.

The European Parliament declared Alexander Lukashenko persona non grata.