EU imposes new economic sanctions on Belarus over ‘hijacked’ flight

Joe Biden welcomes EU moves as father of opposition blogger Roman Protasevich says video confession appears forced

EU leaders triggered new economic sanctions against Belarus and punitive measures against its national airline as a dissident taken from a hijacked" Ryanair flight was paraded on the country's television news apparently confessing to crimes against the state.

In a summit communique swiftly agreed in Brussels on Monday night, the EU's 27 heads of state and government condemned the forced landing of flight FR4978 in Minsk and called for the immediate release of opposition blogger Roman Protasevich and his Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega.