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EU neighbours’ policy towards Belarus will not soften

Content type:: Expert Briefings
Location:: BALTICS/POLAND
Keywords associated with this article:: Geographic: Baltic states Poland Belarus EUR Estonia Latvia Lithuania EU Russia Ukraine BALTICS/POLAND

Topical: economy industry international relations politics foreign policy opposition protest sanctions election ethnic foreign trade military nuclear energy security
ISSN:: 2633-304X
Citation:: Oxford Analytica (2021), "EU neighbours’ policy towards Belarus will not soften", Expert Briefings.
https://doi.org/10.1108/OXAN-DB261484

Monday, May 17, 2021

Significance

Poland and the Baltic states have strongly condemned the repression of protests following the 2020 elections in Belarus, supporting the opposition and engaging the international community against Alexander Lukashenka's government. Their policies towards Belarus previously encouraged economic and political cooperation, trade and independence from Russia. Now democratic values are being prioritised over economic concerns.

Impacts

Belarus will pursue a foreign policy more closely oriented to Russia, having lost the support of its closest EU allies.
Lukashenka will find it harder to resist pressure to increase Russia's military presence in Belarus.
The Baltic states will explore alternative energy sources to reduce reliance on Belarus.

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Significance

Impacts

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