EU leaders will call on all European airlines to refuse from flights over Belarus

Such measures will be a response to the forced landing of the plane of the Irish airline Ryanair in Minsk.

According to Reutters, referring to the draft final statement of the EU summit starting in Brussels, Belarusian planes are also proposed not to be allowed into European airports. The summit intends to instruct the European Union's foreign policy service in the near future to create a new list of sanctions against Belarus.

The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, confirmed the data on the discussion of new restrictive measures against Minsk. She clarified that various options for sanctions will be considered - both against individuals directly involved in the forced landing of the aircraft, and against state-owned enterprises, the aviation sector and business.

On the eve it became known that Great Britain has banned flights to the country for the Belarusian "Belavia". Ukraine also announced the termination of air communication with Belarus and the redirection of flights.

In addition, German airplanes stopped flying over Belarus yesterday, and today France has suspended Belavia's flight license. Transport Secretary of State Jean-Baptiste Djebbari has asked French airlines to stop flying over the republic. Finnish airline Finnair has indicated today that it will not use Belarusian airspace until further notice.

Recall that on May 23, the plane of the Irish airline Ryanair, following the route Athens - Vilnius and flying over the territory of Belarus, was forcibly landed at the airport in Minsk, as it was officially reported - after receiving a message about mining. By order of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, a fighter was even raised to escort a passenger plane into the sky. Alexander Lukashenko personally gave the command to land the airliner in Minsk. On board the plane was Roman Protasevich, co-founder of the opposition telegram channel Nexta, who was detained.