(Reuters) – Sanctions imposed against Belarus have prevented $16-18 billion of Belarus’ annual exports to Europe, according to Belta. This was reported late Sunday by Roman Golovchenko, Belarusian Prime Minister.

After Moscow’s February 24th deployment of several thousand troops from Russian- and Belarusian territories to Ukraine in what Moscow called a “special army operation”, it was sanctioned. This mission was meant to “denazify and demilitarize” Russia and Belarus.

The West and Ukraine both claim the fascist allegation to be baseless. They also believe that the war was an unprovoked attack on aggression.

According to transcripts of interviews with Al Arabiya TV in Dubai, Golovchenko stated that almost all Belarusian exports to North America and the European Union were blocked by sanctions.

This… amounts to approximately $16 billion to $18 million per year.

Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus insists that Belarus be included in the negotiations for the resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. He also stated that Belarus was unfairly called “an accomplice by the aggressor”.

Belarus also received heavy sanctioning last year, following interception of Ryanair flight between Athens & Vilnius. The plane’s landing was followed by the arrests of dissident journalists and their girlfriend.

Lidia Kelly reports from Melbourne; Stephen Coates edits