The resolution was unanimously backed by 91 members of the Seimas. Its initiators included Viktoras Pranckietis, the speaker of the Seimas, Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius, and members of almost all parliamentary groups.

The resolution does not recognize Alexander Lukashenko as Belarus' legitimate leader and calls on the international community to treat any steps taken by him to conclude new agreements with Russia as a crime against the nation and a de facto annexation of Belarus.

The document demands that Russia should not to interfere in Belarus' domestic and foreign policies and calls for additional sanctions on Russia and the Belarussian regime if there are attempts to "limit the country's sovereignty against the will of the Belarusian people".

It also calls on the international community to offer political, economic, financial, visa facilitation and other forms of assistance to the Belarusian people and its legal representatives.

Belarus has been engulfed in protests since Lukashenko claimed a landslide victory in the August 9 election which the opposition and Western countries say was rigged.

Massive protests challenging the official result were met with a brutal crackdown.

The European Union is considering sanctions against Belarusian officials responsible for the vote-rigging and violence.

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