“Ukraine is against any kind of isolation of Belarus,” said President Leonid Kuchma in Vienna. Ukraine was not asked, however, when Belarus, due to systematic moves of its President Lukashenka, had driven itself into a corner, as Austrian Chancellor Victor Klima reminded Kuchma. The point is not even in the scandal with evicting foreign ambassadors from the Drozdy residence near Minsk that was used by Europeans.
It is obvious that a dislike for Belarus is not the true reason for the Council of Europe to refuse to recognize the legitimacy of its current Parliament. It is not because of a hostility toward the Belarus people that neither European nor North American states host visiting Belarus leaders and politicians, except for opposition ones.
Obviously, the fact Belarus allegedly is not worth anything for the European Union is not the reason why the EU has not signed an agreement on partnership with it like the latter did it with Ukraine. According to Jacques Santer, European Commission Chairman “the negotiations with Lukashenka have come to a dead end.”
Belarus, which because of its geographic situation looks extremely attractive for many European and American companies, let alone Polish ones, would likely not have found itself in international isolation if it had respected rights and freedoms at least insofar as Russia does and if its authorities had taken into account their country’s image in the international arena.
Kuchma also recognizes existing “some different ideas about developments” between himself and Lukashenka. This “difference” has already cost Ukraine reduced trade volume and several rather non-diplomatic statements by Minsk about Ukraine and its policy.
Ukraine, even if wanted to, would not be able to join a virtual blockade of Belarus because it is through the forests of Belarus that roads to Baltic states run. However, numerous statements by Ukrainian politicians about eternal friendship and brotherhood with Lukashenka’s regime, which is worth taking as an example and which would not have lasted so long were it not in Moscow’s interest, is, to put it mildly, not the issue.
Why does no one call on taking as examples Poland or even Slovakia? They may not enjoy the highest esteem in the EU, but according to some economic indicators they are doing better than some EU members.
The Belarus example can be instructive for us: it is easy for Europe, even foregoing potential profits temporarily, to block every kind of contacts with a country, except for humanitarian ones, if the situation in that country does not correspond to European notions of democracy. And Europeans have repeatedly hinted to Ukraine that its authorities are drifting toward Belarusization.
