The Head of the European Parliament Called for Tougher Sanctions Against Russia

"Relations between Moscow and Minsk will continue to strengthen" – Sassoli.The head of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, who has recently been banned by Russia, has called for tougher sanctions against Russian officials. Sassoli said this in an interview with the German media group Funke, DW reports. 

“We need to tighten sanctions against Russian officials, as well as establish closer contacts with the population and civil society, support Russian dissidents, non-governmental organizations and independent media,” the politician said.

Commenting on the recent events surrounding the forced landing of the Ryanair plane in Minsk, Sassoli noted that relations between Moscow and Minsk will continue to strengthen.

According to him, the interaction between the European Union and Russia is "very tense" against the backdrop of the poisoning and imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, as well as the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Sassoli said that the EU will continue to maintain attention to the case with the plane landing in Minsk and put pressure on the Belarusian authorities, and also expressed the hope that this will lead to the release of Roman Protasevich and his companion Sofia Sapieha.

Let us remind you that in support of the Belarusian citzen Protasevich, the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport posted a photo of the political prisoner. 

As it was reported, oppositional Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich was sent to the Minsk KGB pre-trial detention center. Let us remind you that in support of the Belarusian citzen Protasevich, the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport posted a photo of the political prisoner.