Putin slams ‘external pressure’

French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday promised to help with mediation in the political crisis in Belarus, but Russian Vladimir Putin lashed out at "unprecedented external pressure".

Macron spoke during a visit to Lithuania after a meeting with Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya that was seen as a major show of support for the activist.

"We will do our best as Europeans to help mediate and we will come back to OSCE mediation in order to progress," Macron told reporters, referring to an offer from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

"Our objective is for this mediation to begin in the next few days or weeks," Macron said, adding that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU chief Charles Michel would "push" Belarus to accept mediation.

"The aim is a peaceful transition, the release of people who are in prison for their political opinions and the holding of free elections under international observation," he said.

Meanwhile, Britain and Canada yesterday slapped sanctions on Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, his son and senior figures in the regime for a string of human rights violations.

Belarus has been in upheaval since an August 9 presidential election in which Tikhanovskaya claimed victory.