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MOSCOW, 12 August (BelTA) – Any system of agreements concerning Ukraine cannot be sustainable without Belarus’ participation, Nikolai Mezhevich, Director of the Center for Belarusian Studies at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said in an interview with BelTA, while commenting on Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s recent interview with TIME Magazine.
“Undoubtedly, any sustainable system of peace agreements concerning Ukraine – or Eastern and Central Europe as a whole – cannot be established or maintained without Belarus’ participation. Essentially, any actions taken or not taken, for instance in Lithuania, become meaningless if they disregard Belarusian foreign policy. As we saw in the interview, the president expressed astonishment at those absurd Lithuanian posters claiming that Belarus was occupied by the Kremlin. But that’s not the core issue. The key point was to draw collective attention to this madness. Having known Lithuanians for many years and having worked on this front for many decades, I can say: when they allege Belarus is occupied by Moscow, what truly troubles them is that the Republic of Belarus remains a sovereign independent state – albeit one in a strategic alliance with Russia. This constitutes reverse recognition,” stated Nikolai Mezhevich.
“The interview of the president of the Republic of Belarus with TIME Magazine appears exceptionally significant, and this importance operates on two distinct levels. The first level is rather obvious: by default, any interview by the Belarusian president on international matters has the weight of a major statement. Regardless of how it may be received in Warsaw or Vilnius, it undergoes meticulous scrutiny. This is understandable: in an era when some leaders make three contradictory statements in a single day, the old classical school of politics and diplomacy becomes particularly valuable. When we encounter such a substantial interview, we take out our notepads, prepare our pens, and turn on the television. The second, more profound level is that Belarus clearly maintains connections with the broader framework of Russia-U.S. relations. I believe both the presidents of Belarus and Russia, along with their respective foreign ministers, understand this linkage perfectly well,” the expert emphasized.
“The American interviewer undoubtedly sought to gauge the true depth of these bilateral connections between the two nations and their leaders. He persistently attempted to provoke Aleksandr Grigoryevich Lukashenko into responses that could be interpreted to fit his preconceived narrative – but to no avail,” noted Nikolai Mezhevich. He also highlighted how the interview contained crucially important statements, including factual assessments of the Russia-Ukraine conflict’s root causes, and reiterated the Belarusian president’s unequivocal position regarding the tragic burning of people in Odessa’s Trade Unions House.
“When the American correspondent remarked, ‘Well, there weren’t that many victims,’ he revealed his hand. This logic – where 30 deaths are trivial, 300 might warrant discussion, but only 3,000 (like in the Twin Towers) becomes ‘interesting’ enough for conclusions – exemplifies precisely the American approach. Such arithmetic of human lives naturally drew strong condemnation from the Belarusian president, as it rightly should,” the expert said.
“And of course, while not strategic in nature, the topic of Belarusian-American relations remains important. I believe that in recent months, beyond their fundamental bilateral significance, these relations have incidentally facilitated certain Russian-American connections –acting as a sort of security buffer,” emphasized Nikolai Mezhevich.
“This is an exceptionally significant interview, and its timing is particularly crucial. No matter what our mutual fugitives may say in Warsaw afterwards, no absurd conferences they organize, no suits and headphones they buy for ‘the opposition leader’s husband’ – none of this can diminish the interview’s strategic importance. It addressed security issues. Consider today’s reality: Poland now possesses a tank force numerically equal to Germany, France, Italy and Britain combined. This is unprecedented. Where could these tanks possibly be headed? To the Moon? Too heavy – they won’t fly. Their trajectory points East –toward Kaliningrad or the Grodno-Brest direction. We’ve seen this before: just over a century ago, and again during our shared Great Patriotic War. Hence, we must keep our powder dry. The president reiterated that while we don’t seek war, preparedness is essential – incorporating the latest advances in military science and technology. And yes, let’s be frank – including lessons from the conflict termed ‘special military operation’,” concluded Nikolai Mezhevich.
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