On February 14, at the Munich Security Conference, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya delivered a keynote speech at the side event “Belarus on the CRINK Axis and Beyond: Assessing Authoritarian Alliances and Western Response Strategies”.
The discussion brought together Belarusian and international experts, including:
- Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Chairwoman of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), who delivered a keynote address;
- Dr. Katarzyna Zysk, Professor of International Relations and Contemporary History at the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies;
- Victoria Leukavets, Researcher at the Center for Baltic and East European Studies;
- Gabriele Baumann, Head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Belarus Office, who moderated the panel.
In her speech, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya emphasized that Belarus is currently being used as an instrument of war and that it is in the West’s interest to change this trend by supporting Belarusian society.
“In 2022, Lukashenka turned Belarus into a launching pad for Russia’s war against Ukraine. He knew about Putin’s plans in advance. Without him, the full-scale invasion might not have taken place. Lukashenka bypasses regular chains of command and further centralizes control.
Belarus is fully integrated into Russian military planning. According to these plans, in the event of a conflict with NATO, Belarus would become a logistical hub, a staging ground, and a corridor for the invasion of Russian forces.
The regime is rewriting laws and military doctrine to bind the army even more closely to Moscow. Preparations for the deployment of Oreshnik missiles and nuclear weapons are another clear signal of escalation.
In the security sphere, Belarus is an active player with significant potential. The question is who will harness this potential in the future. Today, with Lukashenka’s assistance, it is largely being exploited by Russia. But it is in the vital interest of the West to reverse this trend. Western countries must systematically engage with Belarusian society to strengthen pro-European and pro-Western sentiments. Belarusians must feel that they are welcome in Europe”.
The side event was organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Belarus Office, the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and the Center for Baltic and East European Studies.
