Police viciously attacked protesters in Minsk for a fourth night in a row on Wednesday, as EU confirmed sanctions talks.

France announced it will be sending military reinforcements into the eastern Mediterranean following an escalation with Turkey over Greece.

EU states have urged foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell to call emergency foreign ministers talks on potential Belarus and Turkey sanctions.

Just a few weeks ago, as Europeans in several countries put their furious debates about masks and corona appsinto higher gear, Turkey and Greece almost came to blows in the Aegean Sea.

Poland and Lithuania, Belarus' neighbours, have tried to lead the EU reaction to ongoing violence in Minsk, which so far claimed two lives.

The Stockholm-based European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is recommending EU states imposes new restrictions to stem the transmission of Covid-19.