World Trade Organization denies Belarus application for membership

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has denied Belarus’s application to become a member of the organization, citing its involvement with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, NBC News reported. 

“Belarus is unfit for WTO membership,” the WTO said in a statement on Thursday. “We will not further consider its application for accession.”

The WTO also said that Belarus has shown complicity in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to NBC News, calling it’s actions “incompatible with the values and principles of the WTO and of a just rules-based order.”

“We collectively strongly condemn Russia’s unjustifiable and unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine, which is enabled by Belarus,” it added. 

Dozens of Western nations and major companies have either imposed sanctions on Russia and Belarus or suspended operations in the countries in response to Moscow’s ongoing war on Ukraine. 

The House of Representatives earlier this month passed a bill to end normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus as the U.S. and its allies seek to tighten the economic vice on the Kremlin and its key ally in the invasion.