Opposition leader, at NATO event, to suggest strategy to woo Belarus away from Russian orbit
June 24, Pozirk. Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja will present an analysis of the risks posed by Alaksandar Łukašenka’s regime to the region later today at a side event of the NATO summit in The Hague, her press office reports.
The future of European security cannot be separated from the future of Belarus, which borders the European Union in the east, says the document prepared by her team.
“Belarus has become an increasingly critical node in the region’s geopolitical architecture—both as a source of risk and as a potential anchor of stability,” it stressed, noting Łukašenka’s dependence on the Kremlin and transformation of Belarus into “a platform for Russian aggression against Ukraine and neighbouring EU countries.”
A victim of geopolitical confrontation, Belarus is also a “frontline state whose trajectory will determine the future balance of power in Europe,” while delay or complacency may only increase Russian influence in key areas, including defense, energy infrastructure, IT and migration, Cichanoŭskaja’s team warned.
The EU may succeed in securing its eastern frontier by bringing Belarus into the European security framework, according to the analysis. The Belarusian pro-democracy forces urged Brussels to develop a comprehensive strategy combining pressure on Minsk along with long-term engagement with Belarusian society to woo Belarus away from the Russian orbit.
Belarus may become a pillar of regional security if the EU takes this approach and invests in Belarus’ future, the report stressed.
Earlier today, Cichanoŭskaja met Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp. The latter invited the Belarusian politician to participate in the NATO Public Forum.
Cichanoŭski denies plans to replace wife as opposition leader
June 22, Pozirk. Siarhiej Cichanoŭski, released from prison yesterday after a visit by US diplomats to Minsk, has denied plans to replace his wife Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja as leader of the opposition. “Do you think that someone who spent five years …
