Their meeting is analyzed by Svoboda political commentators

Yury Drakakhrust,

Valer Karbalevich

and

Vital Tsygankov.

Karbalevich

  • The alarmist predictions that some radical decisions will be made at this meeting did not come true.

    This visit was a certain demonstration of the power and density of the Khavruz, a gesture towards Lukashenka, who remained in fact the only ally of Russia.

  • A strange thing: during this meeting, Lukashenka and Putin talked about space, the economy, even about football, but almost nothing about the war.

  • For Lukashenka, sovereignty is a very painful topic.

    Many politicians and experts point out that Belarus is losing its sovereignty, that Russian troops in Belarus are doing whatever they want.

    Paval Latushka says that Belarus is occupied by Russia.

    And Belarusian officials hear it.

    And they think: maybe it's time to change the owner?

    If Lukashenka has to prove that sovereignty is preserved, it is very revealing.

  • Today, for Putin, there is really no expediency of legal annexation of Belarus to Russia.

    He bets on the gradual deprivation of Belarus' sovereignty.

    These processes are ongoing, especially they accelerated with the beginning of the war.

    Everything is going well for Russia in this matter, why should Putin take drastic steps?

  • I think that it was about a more active participation of Belarus in the war.

    Not necessarily about the direct participation of the Belarusian army.

Gypsies

  • Both in the statements made during the meeting and at the press conference, the war seemed to be absent.

    And this was a contrast to the aggressive and belligerent statements of Sergei Lavrov.

    We live in a strange time, when diplomats, especially Russian ones, are not more militant than the military and propagandists.

  • It was emphasized that the main topic of the negotiations was the economy.

    By the way, it is rather comical when Lukashenko and Putin are proud of the growth of trade turnover, which will reach 40 billion dollars.

    But it was 43 billion dollars in 2012, 10 years ago.

  • Sometimes you don't need to build any conspiracy theories, you just need to listen carefully to what they are saying.

    Putin: "Russia has no interest in absorbing anyone.

    It just doesn't make sense."

    Lukashenko: "We are not able to ensure and protect our independence by ourselves.

    Why absorb us?

    We are going towards Russia in everything, in any issues."

  • I do not rule out that the most serious discussion took place behind the scenes, not in public.

    Although, every time we discuss the meetings between Lukashenka and Putin, we expect something drastic from their results.

    And it still does not happen.

  • Yuri Drakakhrust

    Journalist of Radio Svaboda


    drakakhrusty@rferl.org

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