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ONLINE EVENT: ‘Belarus in a changing geopolitical environment’

DATE: Tuesday, June 23, 2020

TIME: 1:30 PM – 2:45 PM CEST

LOCATION: Online

The COVID-19 pandemic seems to be accelerating geopolitical shifts, which could have a significant impact in the EU’s neighbourhood. One Eastern Partnership country that already appears to find itself at a critical geopolitical juncture is Belarus. Traditionally, the closest of Russia’s allies, its relationship with Moscow is going through a serious crisis. One dimension of this is the protracted energy dispute, which has prompted Minsk to diversify its oil deliveries and, more broadly, better cooperation with the EU, US and China. The first ever shipment of U.S. oil is about to reach the Belarusian territory.

Will this development become a game-changer and a symbolic watershed in Belarus’ foreign policy? Where is the trajectory of Belarus-Russia relations leading to? What longer-term implications do tensions between Moscow and Minsk have for the latter’s relations with the EU and the US, as well as for regional security in Eastern Europe? How will the forthcoming presidential elections in Belarus in August 2020 impact the country’s ongoing rapprochement with the EU?

This on-line event will shed light on these and other issues. It will be moderated by Amanda Paul, Senior Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre, and Roxana Cristescu, Senior Advisor, European Institute of Peace.

For more information please contact us