Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
The government has announced new sanctions on Belarusian entities and military actors that support Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the latest sanctions cover nine Belarusian individuals and entities - five military personnel, two financial institutions, and two state-owned enterprises, which have supported the invasion of Ukraine.
"Imposing sanctions on these individuals and entities underscores Aotearoa New Zealand's continued condemnation of all those assisting Russia in its unjustified and illegal assault on Ukraine," Mahuta said.
The sanctions were part of an international response to Russia's aggression, intended to put pressure on Belarus to cease its support for the war, she said.
The Belarusian government continued to provide strategic support to Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, Mahuta said.
"They have helped train Russian military forces and are supporting their operations from the territory of Belarus, by enabling the transport of Russian personnel and the storage of military equipment.
"Belarus has also agreed to the stationing of Russian nuclear weapons on its territory and continues to allow Moscow is to use Belarusian financial institutions to evade some sanctions."
The Government has already banned exports to Russian and Belarusian military and security forces and passed the Russia Sanctions Act, imposing sanctions targeting Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, and his key supporters.
All Russian and Belarusian government and military aircraft and vessels are banned from New Zealand, and bilateral Foreign Ministry Consultations with Russia have been suspended.
A 35 percent tariff has been imposed on all Russian imports to New Zealand. The import of Russian oil, gas and coal has been banned, among other trade restrictions imposed.
The government has provided more than $43 million to support Ukraine through a wide range of Ukranian and international agencies.
Grants include $14.93m in humanitarian assistance for refugees and those still inside Ukraine; $11.35m of non-lethal military assistance to support Ukraine via the NATO Trust Fund and communications equipment procured from TAIT; $7.5m to contribute to weapons and ammunition procurement by the United Kingdom; and $4.1m to support commercial satellite access for the Ukrainian Defence Intelligence.
To date, 1514 Ukraine special visas have been approved and 717 people have arrived in New Zealand on these visas.
