«This doesn’t appear to be isolation of Belarus or Russia, but rather the European Union isolating itself. With every new round of sanctions, it is the EU and its citizens who bear the greatest harm,» Mr. Ryzhenkov said.

The FM added that the EU has gone too far with these sanctions. «We can all see how much the people of the European Union are suffering due to being cut off from markets, the absence of our tourists in these countries, and the loss of affordable and reliable resources that were previously supplied,» he said, also noting that it has become more difficult for EU states to engage with Asian countries.

The diplomat highlighted that the EU remains limited to a relatively small geographic area. «It is clear to everyone who is suffering more in this situation because of these sanctions,» he said, describing the EU’s policy as completely thoughtless.

Meanwhile, Belarus continues to liaise with Russia, the vast Eurasian region, and Africa. «Together, we are shaping the Eurasian space as a zone of stability, security, and co-operation by removing barriers to trade, movement of goods, services, and people, and by lifting visa restrictions,» he said.

Mr. Ryzhenkov stressed that the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Belarus create new opportunities to find alternative partners.