Between East and West. Foreign Policy Prospects of Belarus
Between East and West. Foreign Policy Prospects of Belarus

Author(s): Luboš Veselý
Subject(s): Diplomatic history, International relations/trade, Post-Communist Transformation
Published by: AMO – Asociace pro mezinárodní otázky
Keywords: BelarusBelarus; independence; foreign policy; Russia; Soviet legacy; Lukashenko; sovereignty; civil society; nationalism; political survival ian foreign Policy;
Summary/Abstract: Fifteen years of independence brought Belarus little of independent foreign policy and the country, in more than one way, continues to operate in a similar mould as the Soviet satellites in Central Europe during the Cold War. Indeed, one can find manifold reasons to account for the country’s limited sovereignty: Belarus lacks a modern civil society and the sense of nationhood remains underdeveloped. Furthermore, the Belarusian ruling elite and part of the opposition continue to lean towards Russia, as a natural center of power. In exchange, Moscow is to provide protection and legitimacy for the Belarusian government both at home and abroad. As was the case with former Central European satellites, Moscow’s influence is facilitated through a series of military, political, and economic agreements as well as a wide range of informal channels, such as friendships forged during the school years or working relationships from Soviet institutions. These personal contacts have been utilized more than in any other former Soviet republic, as this was due mainly to the fact that Belarus has championed the Soviet identity rather that of its own.

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