Can our country to escape from the “all-embracing dependence on Russia?” The answer to this question was sought by the researchers of the “Political Sphere” institute.
The “Political Sphere” institute has presented the study “Challenges For the Belarusian Foreign Policy and the Post-Soviet space after 2008”. The main focus of the study is on the experiences of economic, political and military collaborations between EAEC countries and countries of “Eastern Partnership” since 2008 (the beginning of the global economic crisis and the Russian-Georgian conflict).
The authors come to the sad conclusion that Belarus is the most Russia dependent post-Soviet country. However, even in the face of universal dependence, our country can diversify its economic and political relations without entering into open conflict with Russia.
“Belarus is the most Russia dependent post-Soviet country. All other countries, even the participants of the CSTO and EAEC, have a much more independent policy: in the cooperation with the European Union, NATO, and the US,” said the director of the “Political Sphere” institute Andrei Kazakevich.
He believes that to break the “all-encompassing Belarus’ dependence on Russia,” our country could adopt a strategy of Kazakhstan, which remains within the orbit of the Eurasian integration, but retains considerable political autonomy from Russia.
“In determining the foreign policy, Belarus should bear in mind that it is the most Russia dependent post-Soviet country. Meanwhile, the EU economically dominates Esatern Europe and such asymmetry in the future may result in significant losses, as well as the economic development of instability,” said Andrei Kazakevich.
According to him, Russia’s foreign policy is highly conflictual policy in the region. So in order to minimize negative impacts and to prevent conflicts of Belarus’ involvement in Russian conflicts, Belarus should as much as possible distance itself from the foreign policy of Russia.
