Lukashenka Fights for Survival

Summary:

Following Lukashenka's "victory" at the rigged presidential election in August 2020, Western powers needed to do more to promote reform in Belarus. They should apply strong and targeted sanctions quickly, to maximise the incentives for members of the elite to shift their position. They should step up existing efforts to provide people in Belarus with reliable sources of information. They should refuse to meet Lukashenka – his recent meetings with Pompeo, Orbàn and Austria’s Sebastian Kurz boosted his credibility – barring exceptional circumstances, such as the need to discuss how he might step down. They should spell out that they would provide significant financial support to any democratic government, to encourage long overdue economic reform. And they should target much more aid on support for civil society – the stronger that becomes, the more costly would be any Russian intervention

• Primary Source

• Alternative Source

Official

Council of the European Union: Video conference of foreign affairs ministers, 14 August 2020 https://www.europeansources.info/record/video-conference-of-foreign-affairs-ministers-14-august-2020/

European Council: Video conference of the members of the European Council, 19 August 2020 https://www.europeansources.info/record/video-conference-of-the-members-of-the-european-council-19-august-2020/

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ESO Records

Cardiff EDC: Belarusian presidential election, August 2020 https://www.europeansources.info/record/belarusian-presidential-election-august-2020/

Cardiff EDC: Political developments in Belarus following the Presidential Election of August 2020 https://www.europeansources.info/record/political-developments-in-belarus-following-the-presidential-election-of-august-2020/

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