Belarus, a long-standing ally of Russia, announced on Wednesday the introduction of a 90-day visa-free policy for citizens of 35 European countries, suggesting a possible desire by Minsk to reduce tensions with the West.
Under this new policy, citizens from countries including Germany, Britain, and France can enter Belarus without a visa and stay for up to 90 days annually. Currently, visitors from these nations are limited to 30 days and must arrive via Minsk airport. The policy change will be effective starting Friday, according to a statement from the national border service.
This move comes as Minsk faces Western sanctions due to President Alexander Lukashenko's approval for Russia to use Belarusian territory to deploy troops into Ukraine in 2022. Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994 and is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, recently withdrew troops from the border with Ukraine, indicating a potential easing of tensions with Kyiv.
"There are now no difficulties with the Ukrainians and I hope there will be none," Lukashenko said, as reported by the official BelTA news agency. Belarus already has a 90-day visa-free agreement with neighboring EU member states Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, though Latvia recently imposed restrictions on Belarus-registered vehicles as part of new EU sanctions.
