Foreign Affairs

[markjay]

Budapest, Hungary, 1956
Prague, Czechoslovakia, 1968
Crimea, Ukraine, 2014
....will we now have Minsk, Belarus, 2020?

 

[MercedesDriver]

I’m expecting that the big brother will chuck the little bro down the drain and give its support to the opposition leaders, not because he loves them but as a necessity for its own prolonged existence. Little one is damaging the “democratic” portraying of the big brother who dont’t want the too much liberal west having way too much influence on its doorstep.

 

[markjay]

...but what if the opposition get into power, and they then become pro-West and join NATO? Or the EU? Or both.... all this on Putin's doorstep.

 

[AMGeed]

...but what if the opposition get into power, and they then become pro-West and join NATO? Or the EU? Or both.... all this on Putin's doorstep.

Putin won't allow that.
He is already flexing his muscles supporting the current leader.

 

[markjay]

Putin won't allow that.
He is already flexing his muscles supporting the current leader.

That would be my guess as well.

 

[GLK]

Not widely known, but there is a legal entity called Union State of Russia & Belarus, which gives the evil midget beloved glorious leader all the legal grounds he needs, if anyone dares to ask.

 

[AMGeed]

Not widely known, but there is a legal entity called Union State of Russia & Belarus, which gives the evil midget beloved glorious leader all the legal grounds he needs, if anyone dares to ask.

Not that Putin cares about legalities when it comes to Russian influence in other Baltic countries.

 

[grober]

How are Russian media presenting the unfolding of events in Belarus?

Foreign interference or true organic movement? How Russian media report on the protests in Belarus.

www.euronews.com

 

[markjay]

How are Russian media presenting the unfolding of events in Belarus?

Foreign interference or true organic movement? How Russian media report on the protests in Belarus.

www.euronews.com

I was actually watching the news on RT.

As expected, they mention demonstrations on both sides.... pro-government and anti-government, as if they were equal... they were concentrating on the damage caused by the anti-government protestors... and they said that Lukashenko and Putin speak regularly and Putin offered 'security assistance' if requested..... looks as if they are preparing the ground for an invasion of Belarus by Soviet Russian troops.

 

[GLK]

I wouldn't be surprised, if Putin uses this to get rid of "batka" - the thing with dictators, they only accept dictate in one direction, so Lukashenko resisted Putin's attempts to bring about a unified currency (as in Russian Rouble, obviously), single ID, etc. As Lukashenko was already in power, when Putin crawled into Kremlin, it wasn't his choice ... A new puppet will be selected with greater care, I'm sure.

 

[MercedesDriver]

Not widely known, but there is a legal entity

...but what if the opposition get into power, and they then become pro-West and join NATO? Or the EU? Or both.... all this on Putin's doorstep.

In that case he will play the Ukranian scriptplay.

 

[grober]

 

[Peter103]

Mr Putin is in the same boat as Lukeshenko, both came in on a fraudulent vote, both been there for years neither to be trusted any further than they could be kicked, two powerful dictators neither able to trust the other. Who knows where from here? We should keep our heads down, be proud to live in England UK for all our faults. Iv'e read Geoffrey Archers book "Heads you Win" can't give too much, but an excellent read and shows up our Russian 'friends' for what they are. If this lot ends without more bloodshed good, but, don't hold your breath. 🏋.

 

[bolidemichael]

There don't seem to be too many countries in the world committed to free and fair democratic elections.

 

[markjay]

There don't seem to be too many countries in the world committed to free and fair democratic elections.

No, there aren't.... and the scary thought is that the majority of countries who vote on UN resolutions during a General Assembly are in fact dictatorships....

 

[bolidemichael]

Another example of this anti-democratic behaviour

 

[markjay]

Another example of this anti-democratic behaviour

Seems that the potions brewery at the Kremlin has been working overtime in the past decade........

 

[Swotty]

If you're a Russian gangster who happens to be President and is intent on reclaiming the parts of mother Russia lost to the decadent West, including the eastern half of the Ukraine ....

... and wants to provide the western buffer to stop NATO tanks rolling towards Moscow ...

... and to facilitate the movement westward of Russian tanks ...

have a look at this map and fear for the 3 Baltic States:

Belarus

www.google.com

 

[m80]

But from the Russian point of view,
the West are ganging up on you,
the eu continually take over your buffer zones.
There are persuasive, usually financial, incentives for former Soviet and Soviet allied states to pal up with the West.
Arguably your greatest asset is your gas exports and these are increasingly threatened.
Ballistic (US controlled) missile silos are getting ever closer to your borders.
You don't really have air missiles that go so fast that the defences of others wouldn't see them coming in time.
The space war isn't likely to result in your favour.

What would you do?

He must stop the secret getting out that his rockets are really plastic.
He must push back against whatever Western advance.
At least he has managed to create a situation that will enable a defence of the Bosphorus plug in case that fleet need to get out.

Must sell gas,
must sell gas,
must sell gas,

 

[Dryce]

But from the Russian point of view,
the West are ganging up on you,

Threats become self fulfilling ....

Russia's actions have spooked other countries. An example is Sweden which is spending substantially on rearming and reintroduced its (limited) conscription system.

China is having a similar effect on its neighbours.