With Lukashenko against everyone

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Minsk. And he immediately stood up for Belarus before the European Union. Russia opposes politicization and the application of “double standards” in the field of human rights, he said: “There are many imbalances here, and we will continue to look for approaches to solving emerging problems and preventing (their) politicization.” The new head of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, Vladimir Makei, responded kindly to kindness and immediately added: “We believe that here we have a large field for joint activities.”

And then something completely unimaginable happened: Makei started talking about a possible reconsideration of the issue of recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Belarus, despite all the efforts of Russia, never recognized these republics and, at moments of aggravation of Belarusian-Russian relations, flirted with Saakashvili in every possible way. In general, Georgia was considered a great friend in Minsk at one time. And now suddenly, according to Makei, “life does not stand still,” the topic was discussed, and “we will analyze the situation in the post-Soviet space and make a decision on this issue based on our national interests.”

And national interests today are connected with the fact that we need to be friends with Russia. Only Russia can give a loan to its neighbor. Or buy one of the Belarusian state-owned enterprises so that the government can continue to subsidize unprofitable sectors of the economy and maintain the standard of living familiar to Belarusians.

Until recently, Lukashenko complained that the Russians do not want to pay for the deployment of their missile bases. And now Lavrov says the allies are discussing various defense plans, including missile defense.

Another revelation made at the meeting of foreign ministers was this: Belarus and Russia are discussing uniform methods for regulating the Internet. As was said, in order to “develop Eurasian integration processes.” The Belarusian government is known to regularly disconnect internet users from social media and opposition sites. This happens with any outbreak of social tension and with any suspicion of protest activity. “In this regard, we cannot help but be alarmed by the desire of individual states to politicize this issue solely to suit their own interests. Our position on this issue is not fundamentally different from the approaches of the Russian side,” Makei said. Lavrov did not object.

The sudden rapprochement with Russia is happening, as they say, in the absence of fish. President Lukshenko has been trying unsuccessfully to establish a dialogue with the West for more than a year. Until now, he has managed to juggle the feelings of Western politicians: relations between Minsk and Brussels usually deteriorated after the end of elections, but were always restored on the eve of another political campaign. But after the last parliamentary elections, the seemingly limitless patience of the West has run out. On October 29, for example, the IMF refused to receive another loan to Belarus. The motivation is simple: the country has not taken the path of market reforms, and therefore cooperation under the stand by program with it is now impossible. Actually, it was a possible loan from this organization that was the main reason for the flirting between Belarus and the West. At this point, Old Man has no choice but to lead the country into the Customs Union at full speed.

Lukashenko made the necessary personnel changes for this several months ago. The well-known “anti-Western” Vladimir Makei moved from the post of head of the presidential administration to the post of head of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. The point is that this newly minted diplomat is on the list of Belarusian politicians banned from traveling abroad - for participating in repressions against the opposition.

At the same time, the rhetoric towards Russia in state media also changed. For many years, Belarusian TV and state newspapers carefully built up the image of a rich neighbor with a government that condemns its people to poverty. Back in winter, Belarusian propagandists actively covered “white ribbon” actions and talked about the growth of protest sentiments in Moscow. It's not like that anymore. Foreign departments of Belarusian TV channels enthusiastically talk about strikes in Europe and the dispersal of demonstrators in Greece, but they don’t see Razvozzhaev, Udaltsov, or the “hard life of Russian pensioners.” But they began to show Putin more often. Especially when he talks about contradictions with The West. This goes on air right away. So Russia is again an ally of Belarus until Belarus receives another generous loan.