Alexander Lukashenko

President Alexander Lukashenko spent more than four hours talking to his jailed political foes at a Minsk prison. His office said "the goal of the president was to hear everyone's opinion."

Lithuania has hosted exiled leaders of Belarus' opposition movement and been among the first to slap sanctions on Alexander Lukashenko. But why such strong support?

"There will be no immunity for those who are responsible for the crackdown on demonstrators and opposition politicians," Ursula von der Leyen said.

Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen warned that the bloc has a "tool box" of restrictive measures that be applied "immediately" if Ankara doesn't engage in "constructive" dialogue over underwater drilling.

Alexander Feduta worked in Lukashenko’s campaign office back in 1994 and helped to get Lukashenko elected as the new Belarusian president. Looking back, Lukashenko already had some of the traits seen later in his presidency, but they have become more profound, he says.

More than 150 people were arrested in demonstrations across Belarus on Wednesday following the secret inauguration of President Alexander Lukashenko, according to a monitoring group.

State news agency Belta reported that Wednesday's ceremony is taking place in the capital of Minsk, with several hundred top government officials present.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said the list of names would be published and sent to European Union countries, Russia and the United States

"We all lived in fear under Stalin, but there was impeccable order and respect for order. Democracies are twisted and doomed," one Lukashenko supporter told Euronews.