Your recent research paper is ‘Transforming Belarus from a Russian asset to a buffer state for European security’. Why is Belarus so important?
Its geographical location is critical for regional security. With Russia controlling Belarus, it has more opportunities to threaten the security of Ukraine and the three bordering NATO countries – Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. Politically distancing Belarus from Russia will make the whole region safer. The invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that started from Belarus shows how the Kremlin can use Belarus to enhance the operational reach, range and accuracy of its weapon systems.
