Belarusians have taken to the streets of their cities and towns for over five months now, demanding free and fair elections after the presidential vote in August had been blatantly rigged. ‘The longer the political crisis drags on, the more Russia’s and the EU’s actions matter.
The perception of the Belarusian political crisis in the East and the West is a different one. The elites in Russia view the protest as coordinated by the West, whereas the EU considers it as a purely domestic issue. Russia has a high interest in Belarus, in terms of security, economics, culture etc. For the EU, stability in its neighbouring country is essential. It is questionable how long Lukashenka will stay in power, as he is not a promising partner, neither for Russia, nor for the EU.
Picture: Homoatrox