Whither Belarus?

Description

Belarus lies at an inflection point in its history. President Alexander Lukashenko suffers fierce opposition at home, in Europe, and increasingly from a frustrated Russia following massive protests in the wake of the 2020 election, which international monitors called neither free nor fair. While the Kremlin is unwilling or unable to intervene militarily, it has sought to influence Belarusian public opinion online and through policy. This paper uses foreign policy analysis to look at the intersection of Belarusian domestic politics and foreign policy. It argues while Russia remains an influential player and the European Union has limited options, domestic developments in the ongoing crisis will determine the country’s future orientation toward Russia, Europe, or acting strategically between the powers as a pivot state.

Period	23 Sept 2021
Held at	International Studies Association West Annual Conference, United States
Degree of Recognition	International