The country’s opposition leader says a Russian puppet in Minsk can always threaten Ukraine
help Ukraine, it’s time for the West to learn from the mistakes it made in Belarus in 2020. I feel a sense of déjà vu watching Volodymyr Zelensky desperately calling for the world’s attention. He does so even as peaceful cities are being destroyed by missiles launched from my own country, Belarus.
Dictators learn from each other and follow the same pitiless logic. Just as Mr Putin could not stand seeing Ukraine prosper as an independent country, Mr Lukashenko could not stand the sight of hundreds of thousands Belarusians peacefully marching for their rights in 2020. Some 30,000 of them have been detained and thousands have been imprisoned on political charges. My friend, Maria Kalesnikava, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison.
The West has been slow to realise the seriousness of the threat the Belarusian dictatorship poses, and to react to it. The first serious sanctions on the regime were introduced in June 2021—ten months after the stolen election and the brutal repression that followed. This allowed Mr Lukashenko’s regime to fall back on Russia and regroup. Now the regime is paying off the debt by providing our territory, infrastructure and fuel to Russian troops in a bloody war against Ukraine.
Europe is more secure if Belarus is free. To avoid pressure, Mr Lukashenko will try to coax and cajole Western leaders as his fortunes change. He is already threatening to station Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus. Mr Lukashenko may even eventually pose as a peacemaker. Don't be fooled: you can't plead for peace while bombing your neighbours.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Russia-Ukraine war: Mariupol fighters ignore surrender demand; Ukraine begins process to join EU – liveTroops dug in at huge steel mill despite a midday deadline to surrender from Moscow; Kyiv fills in questionnaire to begin journey to joining bloc
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war: Russian deadline for Mariupol defenders to ‘surrender or die’ passes – liveMoscow set 3am GMT time for Ukrainian fighters to lay down arms in Mariupol; Zelenskiy warns ‘extermination’ of city’s defenders would jeopardise peace talks
Read more »
Ukraine war: Germany's conundrum over its ties with RussiaBerlin now has some hard decisions to make following years of dialogue and co-operation with Moscow.
Read more »
Ukraine war: Doomed Russia warship 'seen burning in satellite image'Satellite images show the pride of Putin's Black Sea Fleet burning while other vessels are scrambled to rescue those onboard before it sank after it was struck by Ukrainian missiles.
Read more »