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Putin’s 1st Visit to Belarus in 3.5 Years — Why is He Meeting Lukashenko?
On the 19th of December 2022, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu visited Minsk alongside Putin and his lieutenants, as observers fear another attack against Ukraine, perhaps even Kyiv.
Since the 24th of February, 2022, Belarus has let Russia use its territory as a type of launchpad and strategic outpost for its troops. As of yet, Belarus has not sent its own troops to Ukraine.
So, is Putin visiting Belarus to change Lukashenko’s mind? The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has claimed that they are ready for a new frontline, but it would still be logistically difficult to fight off another onslaught on Kyiv from Ukraine’s north.
A Rocky Relationship
Lukashenko and Putin have not always been, well, close. I have touched on their “friendship” in my article titled “Lukashenko & Putin’s Alliance.” If you want to read more about my views, feel free to have a look. Here, I will be focusing on recent developments for the sake of brevity.
Their relationship is as contingent on political affairs as any of these political “situationships” tend to be.
Indeed, Lukashenko was opposed to Putin’s annexation of Crimea. Correspondingly, he always stressed Belarussian sovereignty from…
