The European Union has proposed imposing tariffs on the remaining agricultural products arriving from Russia and Belarus that are currently not subject to customs duties, as well as on certain nitrogen-based fertilisers.

The Russian Foreign Ministry slammed the West's unsubstantiated statements on the election in Belarus as interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.

The European Commission proposed on Tuesday imposing tariffs on more agricultural products and certain nitrogen-based fertilisers from Russia and its ally Belarus to prevent a potential threat to EU food security.

MINSK - Reclusive Moscow-allied Belarus will hold a presidential election on Jan 26, with President Alexander Lukashenko set to cruise through to victory unchallenged for a seventh term, prolonging his three-decade authoritarian rule. Mr Lukashenko – a 70-year-old former collective farm boss – has been in power in Belarus since 1994.

Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko is all but certain to extend his more than three decades in power in Sunday’s election that is rejected by the opposition as a farce after years o

Europe’s longest-serving leader won re-election in a contest widely believe to have been rigged. The result cements the power of a leader whose country is considered Russia’s staunchest ally.

Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery 250 miles east of Moscow in a huge wave of attacks on Russian power plants, say military sources. A large fire exploded at the refinery in Kstovo city in the Nizhny Novgorod region following the attack, the Ukrainian military said, adding it was assessing the scale of damage there.

The European Union proposed imposing tariffs on the remaining agricultural products coming from Russia and Belarus that aren’t already facing duties, as well as some nitrogen-based fertilizers.

The European Commission has proposed further tariffs on a range of agricultural products and fertiliser from Russia and Belarus in an effort to further reduce imports and ultimately impact Moscow’s ability to wage its war against Ukraine.

Belarusians began voting Sunday, with President Alexander Lukashenko expected to cruise to victory unchallenged for a seventh term, prolonging his three-decade authoritarian rule.

Novaya Guta is one of almost a dozen border crossings left deserted since Russia invaded Ukraine via Belarus in February 2022, slashing relations between Minsk and Kyiv.