EU pledges €3bn funding for Belarus if it transitions to democracy

Ursula von der Leyen comes close to calling for regime change as she urges country to change course'

The EU has said it will provide Belarus with 3bn (2.6bn) through grants and loans if the country changes course", as the bloc seeks to ramp up internal pressure on the president, Alexander Lukashenko.

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, came close to an all-out call for regime change as she made the pledge of funds in return for a transition" to democracy.