Belarus

Since 1994, Alyaksandr Lukashenka has ruled Belarus without a serious challenger. Then came the August 2020 presidential election, when opposition candidates proved more viable than ever before amid the country’s poor economic performance and mismanaged coronavirus response. Widespread protests and serious fraud allegations have marred Lukashenka’s claimed election victory. The opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has fled the country, raising questions about whether the protest movement will endure and whether Lukashenka will manage to stay in power for his new term. The future of Belarus now hinges on what its people and its strongman do next.

Featured Event

A conversation with leader of the democratic opposition in Belarus Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

What can officials in the United States do to support the democratic movement in Belarus in the face of continuing repression and state terror from Lukashenka’s regime? Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the democratic opposition in Belarus, joins live from the Atlantic Council to discuss.

Watch

spotlight

Belarus

Belarus’ August 2020 presidential election saw widespread protests and serious fraud allegations as President Lukashenka claimed victory against popular opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Will Belarus begin its transition to democracy, or will Belarusians face further repression as Lukashenka’s rule falters?

Russia Deploys First Fighter Jets to Belarus

UkraineAlert
Aug 13, 2024

Belarus’s political prisoners must not be forgotten

New sanctions unveiled in August have highlighted the plight of Belarus’s approximately 1,400 political prisoners, but much more must be done to increase pressure on the Lukashenka regime, writes Hanna Liubakova.

Read More

Russia Deploys First Fighter Jets to Belarus

UkraineAlert
Jul 25, 2024

The West should articulate the possibility of a European future for Belarus now

By
Richard Cashman

Failure to articulate the possibility of a European future for Belarus leaves the Euro-Atlantic community at risk of being caught off guard without a plan when Belarus reaches its fork in the road, writes Richard Cashman.

Belarus
Conflict

Russia Deploys First Fighter Jets to Belarus

UkraineAlert
Jul 16, 2024

I was sentenced to ten years in absentia for highlighting Belarus’s descent into dictatorship

By
Alesia Rudnik

My recent ten-year sentence in absentia is a sure sign that Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka is increasingly insecure and dependent on the Kremlin, writes Alesia Rudnik.

Belarus
Civil Society

Content

Sukhoi Su-27 Fighter Jet

NATOSource

Dec 10, 2013

Russia Deploys First Fighter Jets to Belarus

By Defense News and RIA Novosti

From Jaroslaw Adamowski, Defense News:  Russia has deployed the first four Su-27SM3 fighter jets to Belarus. The aircraft will be stationed at the 61st air base in Baranavichi, reported local daily Belorusskiy Partizan.

Belarus Russia

Press Release

Nov 14, 2013

Damon Wilson to Outline a US Strategy for Europe’s East

Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Damon Wilson will testify before the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on European Affairs hearing today on A Pivotal Moment for the Eastern Partnership: Outlook for Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Belarus, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

Belarus The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

Nov 13, 2013

A US Strategy for Europe’s East

By Damon Wilson

Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Damon Wilson testified before a hearing of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on European Affairs, on November 14, 2013. The hearing was convened to examine the outlook for European Union Eastern Partners – Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Belarus, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

Belarus Europe & Eurasia

Event Recap

Jun 17, 2013

Film Screening: Belarussian Dream

On June 17, the Atlantic Council, Belarussian-American Association, Freedom House, and the Joint Baltic American National Committee held a screening of the Belarusian film “Belarussian Dream” by Ekaterina Kibalchich.

Belarus

New Atlanticist

May 24, 2012

Ukraine Is Belarus, not Russia

By Taras Kuzio

Ukraine’s leaders remain convinced they will be treated by the West like Russia, whose human rights violations are largely ignored. In reality, Ukraine is being treated like Belarus, whose human rights situation is scrutinized and regularly condemned. In a speech to Germany’s lower house of parliament, Chancellor Angela Merkel said, “Today we are living in […]

Belarus Europe & Eurasia

Event Recap

Mar 1, 2012

The Authoritarian Slippery Slope: The Case of Belarus

By Jason Harmala

On March 1st, the Transatlantic Relations Program hosted an off-the-record roundtable discussion with the Dr. Anatoli Mikhailov and Dr. Pavel Tereshkovich of the European Humanities University.

Belarus European Union

New Atlanticist

Oct 21, 2011

Belarus Is Heading to Default

By Anders Aslund

Belarus is heading to default. This country of 10 million people is running out of international currency reserves. Officially, they were down to $2.2 billion on October 1, which is a month’s worth of imports. But when reserves are so small the question always arises whether they are really usable. Meanwhile inflation surged and it […]

Belarus Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Aug 16, 2011

Belarus: Power Failure Again

By Boyko Nitzov

For many years now, the West has dealt with Belarus in a way that implies that using carrots will eventually eliminate the need for sticks. It is time to abandon this false hope and deal with the reality of a failed dictatorial regime. By virtue of a treaty which Belarus and Russia signed and ratified […]

Belarus

Experts

Staff

Nika Aleksejeva

Resident Fellow, Baltics

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Belarus Disinformation

Fellow

Michael Carpenter

Distinguished Fellow

Eurasia Center Europe Center

Eastern Europe National Security
Melinda Haring

Fellow

Melinda Haring

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Ukraine Civil Society

Staff

John E. Herbst

Senior Director

Eurasia Center

Ukraine Politics & Diplomacy

Staff

Daniel Hojnacki

Assistant Editor

Belarus Central Asia

Fellow

Adrian Karatnycky

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Ukraine Democratic Transitions
Load More