Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has threatened to retaliate with reciprocal measures if any sanctions were imposed against his country over a recent presidential election which opponents say was rigged.
Speaking during a dairy factory visit in the country's east on Friday, Mr Lukashenko threatened to cut off transit routes through the country and boycott Lithuanian ports if sanctions were imposed.
"I've instructed the government to submit a proposal on reorienting all trade flows from Lithuanian ports to other ones," Belta state news agency quoted Mr Lukashenko as saying.
"Let's see how they live with that."
Mr Lukashenko, who is facing the biggest challenge of his 26-year-old rule, also ordered that half the army of the country of 9.5 million enter combat preparedness in response to what he said were threats from the West.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko gestures while addressing employees of the Orsha dairy plant in Orsha. Source: AAP
He said he had agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin that their countries could unite their troops in the event of a threat from the West but added that not a single Russian soldier had yet crossed the border into Belarus.
European Union foreign ministers on Thursday sought sanctions against Belarus to pressure Mr Lukashenko into holding new elections. Mr Lukashenko denies electoral fraud and has persistently rejected the opposition's calls to hold a new vote.
German chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters she had tried to speak to Mr Lukashenko by phone but he had declined. Speaking of a reserve police force which Mr Putin said had been created on Mr Lukashenko's request, she said, "I hope that such troops are not deployed".
"(Freedom to demonstrate, freedom of expression) have to be fought for there. The people must be allowed to do that themselves without interference from outside - from anywhere," Ms Merkel added.
EU ministers are currently considering travel bans and asset freezes on up to 20 people responsible for a crackdown on demonstrators two weeks after a 9 August election they say was rigged.
Belarus women are pushed by Police during a peaceful protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk. Source: AAP
It already has an arms embargo on Belarus but in 2015, in a bid to improve ties with Mr Lukashenko, the bloc eased economic sanctions that had been in place in 2004.
However, Western powers are keen to balance sympathy for a nascent Belarusian pro-democracy movement with concern this could trigger a Russian-backed crackdown. Disruptions to energy supplies are also a fear.
Belarus is a conduit for Russian oil exports to Europe via the Druzhba pipeline. Energy supplies continue to flow smoothly, Polish oil and gas pipeline operators told Reuters.
