EU calls leaders to emergency summit to support Belarus people

European council chief says EU must show Russia there are peaceful ways to resolve situation

EU leaders have been called to an emergency meeting on Belarus, as tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Minsk for the largest rally in the country's recent history.

The president of the European council, Charles Michel, has invited the European Union's 27 heads of state and government to an extraordinary meeting by video conference on Wednesday. The people of Belarus have the right to decide on their future and freely elect their leader," Michel tweeted. Violence against protesters is unacceptable and cannot be allowed."