EU’s Reynders: first more sanctions on Belarus, any air traffic curbs later

Brussels (Reuters) – EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said on Monday the bloc should first slap more sanctions on Belarus to put pressure on Minsk and target members of the “regime” there responsible for the grounding of a Ryanair flight on Sunday.

Reynders said a discussion on air traffic restrictions could also be held, but it remained to be seen if the European Union could agree a coordinated approach for all 27 member states or countries would be left to impose their own restrictions on a national level.

“But first of all to put pressure on the people responsible for such … behaviour, that is the best way to react to this,” Reynders said. “And I am sure that it is very important to show that there is a common approach at the international level.”