The EU has blacklisted travel firms and Belarusian officials who helped create the migrant crisis with Poland and Lithuania.
The US also dialled up economic pain on Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko, but one dissident warned the sanctions would only make him "angrier".
The EU designated Belavia, Belarus' flagship airline, saying: "Migrants wishing to cross the Union's external border have been flying to Minsk on board flights operated by Belavia from a number of Middle East...
Enjoy access to all articles and 25 years of archives, comment and gift articles. Become a member for as low as €1,75 per week.
Already a member? LoginAndrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.
Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.