Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya tells TIME that Ukraine and Belarus' fights for freedom and democracy are intertwined
to help him overcome Western sanctions. By supporting his benefactors in the Kremlin, Lukashenko is not only offering Putin a return on his investment, but is shoring up his own position at home.
It’s for this reason, Tsikhanouskaya argues, that long-term security in Europe will be elusive so long as Lukashenko remains in power. If there’s a Putin-friendly regime in Belarus and if Russian troops are allowed to remain on its territory, she says, “no one in our neighboring countries will sleep peacefully.”
While Russian provocations beyond Ukraine are seemingly unlikely given the difficulties that Moscow is already facing in Ukraine, a further weaponization of Belarusian territory nonetheless poses a potential vulnerability for NATO, particularly as it concerns the alliance’s Baltic members. Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia have long regarded Belarus as a key buffer between themselves and Russia.
When asked what the West can do to address this issue, Tsikhanouskaya called for consistency. “Continue applying multiple points of pressure on the regime politically, economically,” she says. “Don’t recognize Lukashenko, don’t send ambassadors. Be strong in this period of history.” More than anything, Tsikhanouskaya says that she hopes that their allies in the West won’t succumb to war fatigue.
“It’s really high time for Western countries to show their strength,” she says. “Not only as politicians, but as people.”
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