Łukašenka laments Eastern Europe’s militarization at CSTO summit

November 28, Pozirk. The situation in the world is “only getting worse,” with the arms race “rapidly gaining momentum,” Alaksandar Łukašenka has told top security officials from Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states in Kazakhstan’s Astana.
“The militarization of the Eastern European region, especially Poland, continues,” his press office quoted him as saying. The Belarusian ruler also complained about the expansion of NATO activities in Europe and globally.
He omitted the fact that Eastern Europe started building up its defense capabilities in response to Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine, in which Minsk supports the Kremlin.
Five out of six CTSO member states participated in the summit: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. Armenia froze its membership as it considers pulling out of the CSTO over the latter’s failure to respond to Azerbaijan’s capture of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia’s absence “characterizes the current geopolitical situation in the region” and “to some extent” the bloc itself, said Łukašenka, who supported Azerbaijan in its conflict with Minsk’s ally Armenia, including by supplying weapons.
The Astana summit is the second CSTO event that Yerevan ignored after it refused to participate in a similar event in Minsk last November.

Belarus’ top diplomat sounds alarm over NATO activities at CSTO summit
- Politics, SocietyInformation minister defends censorship, calls banned books “subversive”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- SocietyInvestigators link death toll in recent car crash to speeding, unbuckled seatbelts, poor lightingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- EconomyReal income’s growth stalls at 10 percent in January-AugustThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsKGB brands six regime critics as terroristsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: sociologist accused of high treasonThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus envoy presents credentials to Bolivia's presidentThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsKyiv: Łukašenka adds Biełaruski Hajun detainees to "exchange pool"The material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyOfficial reports record growth in small business sector amid sanctionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsNausėda: Belarusian opposition still welcome in VilniusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, SocietyHealth ministry expecting 20-percent increase in pharmaceuticals outputThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka signs law allowing Russians to vote in local electionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBiełavija to launch passenger service between Minsk, Thailand in JanuaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyCentral bank reports spike in individuals’ depositsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityPolice, soldiers searching for fallen drones in southern BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka promises Trump Nobel Prize — just not this yearThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsTertel: talks with Washington revolve around UkraineThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition politician: Belarusians fighting for Russia victims of propagandaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy