Macron promises Belarus mediation

VILNIUS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday promised to help with mediation in the political crisis in Belarus, but Russian Vladimir Putin lashed out at “unprecedented external pressure”.

Macron spoke during a visit to Lithuania after a meeting with Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya that was seen as a major show of support for the activist.

“We will do our best as Europeans to help mediate and we will come back to OSCE mediation in order to progress,” Macron told reporters, referring to an offer from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

“Our objective is for this mediation to begin in the next few days or weeks,” Macron said, adding that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU chief Charles Michel would “push” Belarus to accept mediation.

“The aim is a peaceful transition, the release of people who are in prison for their political opinions and the holding of free elections under international observation,” he said. Belarus has been in upheaval since an August 9 presidential election in which Tikhanovskaya claimed victory against the incumbent Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994.

Tikhanovskaya fled to Lithuania in the aftermath of the vote as mass protests in the streets of the former Soviet republic were met with a crackdown in which thousands were arrested.

The European Union has refused to recognise the result of the election which gave Lukashenko 80 percent of the vote, and Macron on Sunday said that he “has to go”. EU leaders are preparing to adopt sanctions against Lukashenko and other top Belarusian officials at a summit later this week.