№ 3 (May - June 2018)
During the period under review, the index of the relationship with the European Union for the first time ever surpassed the Russian dimension; Belarus’s relations with China have also markedly intensified.
In the bilateral framework with Russia, conflicts associated with dairy supplies have not been settled. Yet, at the same time, Moscow keeps refinancing debts of Belarusian industrial companies and offers significant investments.
In the European dimension, the intensification of contacts continues on a broad range of topics and at various levels.
China actively seeks further credit and project cooperation. Search is currently underway for new formats and tools to finance the construction of the infrastructure of the China-Belarus Industrial Park.
The index of Belarus’s relationship with the U.S. has dropped. The momentum of the period of sanctions comes into conflict with the actual state of engagement, which hampers the normalization process.
Improvements are observed in non-political spheres of Belarus’s Ukrainian dimension, and the same is true for the technical level of cooperation.
When it comes to defense, Minsk relies on the development of its own production of the crucial types of arms and equipment. The government pursues a multi-vector policy to the maximum degree possible in the Belarusian environment. Military exercises were conducted in the region, including with risky elements. However, in general, the confronting sides are effectively held back and the level of regional tension remains within the “green zone.”
