Copyright © 2024 Euromaidanpress.com

The work of Euromaidan Press is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

When referencing our materials, please include an active hyperlink to the Euromaidan Press material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. To reprint anything longer, written permission must be acquired from [email protected].

Privacy and Cookie Policies.

Putin’s push for new base in Belarus – a serious challenge to European security

Putin’s push for new base in Belarus – a serious challenge to European security
Edited by: A. N.

Russia already has two military facilities in Belarus – a radar site near Baranovichi and a naval communications center near Mensk – but Vladimir Putin is pressing for a major airbase there in what would represent a serious threat to European security, according to “Novaya gazeta” journalist Irina Khalip.

Irina Khalip (Image: Novaya gazeta)
Irina Khalip (Image: Novaya gazeta)

She points out that a new base in Belarus would bring to four those “on the perimeter of the Russian border.” (The others are in Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and occupied Crimea.) But unlike the other three, the Belarusian one would directly affect the security interests of Europe.

Khalip reviews the history of discussions about such a base going back to 2009, discussions that she says were broken off after the war in Ukraine began. Then, in October 2014, Moscow announced that the plans for a base had not been cancelled but simply delayed, the prelude to Putin’s September 19 decree calling for an agreement between Moscow and Mensk.

That war also prompted Lukashenka to seek better ties with the West, especially as Moscow appears to have run out of money to finance his regime. But Putin’s order upended the Belarusian leader’s efforts in that regard: It is one thing to deal with a dictator who doesn’t threaten Europe; it is another to deal with “an ally of Russia with a military base on its territory.”

As the “Novaya gazeta” journalist points out, for many years, “Poland and Bulgaria and Romania and the Baltic countries called for NATO to put military bases on their territories,” but “only the war in Ukraine prompted the countries of the alliance to action in the countries of Eastern Europe.”

That means that “the opening of a Russian military base in Belarus” would be an indication that Putin “with the help of Alyaksandr Lukashenka” has begun a new phase in a new arms race because–unlike the two other Russian military facilities in Belarus now–Russian forces would be at the new one.

This too would “again change the military and geopolitical map of the world,” she concludes, something that could lead to a further escalation of tensions and possibly to new demands for some kind of “grand bargain” between Russia and the West, either of which might suit Putin’s interests if not those of the West.

Edited by: A. N.
You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Please leave your suggestions or corrections here



    Euromaidan Press

    We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!

    Related Posts