Belarusian Opposition Leader Condemns Russian Opposition for Failing to Take a Clear Position on Relations with Russia’s Neighbors

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Oct. 8 – Valery Kovalevsky, who speaks for the Unified Transitional Cabinet of the Belarusian opposition, says his group is unhappy that the Russian opposition to Putin has not taken a clear position on the rights of Russia’s neighbors to pursue their own independent goals including membership in NATO and the European Union.

            Declaring that “Russia is an existential threat” for its neighbors, the Belarusian diplomatist says that at present, the democratic opposition to Putin has not taken “a clear position on how Russia’s foreign policy toward its neighbors will look after democratic changes” in Russia (ng.ru/cis/2023-10-08/5_8846_belorussia.html).

            “We have not heard that they will be prepared to completely calmly accept the declarations of any of the countries, be they Belarus or Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia or Azerbaijan about intensions to join the European Union, NATO or” other organizations Russia doesn’t dominate, Kovalevsky says.

            Given that, he continues, Belarus’ Unified Transitional Cabinet “does not see any sense in developing any relations with the Russian opposition” given that it is far from clear that this opposition should it come to power would follow policies not that different than those which Vladimir Putin is.