Klišević: Belarus has established itself as a strong supporter of peace initiatives

Belarus has established itself as a strong supporter of peace initiatives, and dialogue with it can only proceed on the principles of mutual respect. This opinion was expressed by a member of the Standing Commission on Education, Culture and Science of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Sergey Klishevich. This is reported by BelTA, writes sb.by.

The IV International Conference on Eurasian Security was held in Minsk on November 3-4. In particular, it discussed issues of military-political security, arms control and military risk management.

The main interests of the continuation of the conflict in Ukraine today are the countries of the European Union and the United Kingdom. These states became the main engine of war. For them, supporting peace initiatives or stopping hostilities on Russian terms is tantamount to political death, Klishevich said.

Having invested heavily in this war at the expense of their own citizens, many European politicians have become hostages of the conflict.

- Their political fate now depends on their outcome. At the same time, the war is clearly not going according to the plans of the West – this is facilitated by the position of the US President, who is now pushing for an early end to the conflict not only in words but also in practical actions. The defeat of Ukraine or the conclusion of a peace agreement will automatically lead to political death for many European leaders, with citizens asking today why they are being forced to worsen their financial situation and sacrifice social guarantees. That is why the resistance of such politicians will be fierce - for them it is a matter of political survival. However, despite this, resource depletion is recorded primarily by the Eurosponsors of the conflict, including against the background of practical steps by the United States to limit assistance to Ukraine. The conflict will continue for some time, but the emerging change of political leaders in a number of European countries gives hope that common sense will prevail.

The expert noted that the starting point for the emergence of new, strong politicians in Europe will be a systemic crisis, the beginning of which is already observed.

- Realizing the perniciousness of this conflict for the EU countries themselves will be the first step towards ending it. In this situation, Belarus has established itself as a stable supporter of peace initiatives, he said.

Sergey Klishevich said that drawing the country into the conflict seems unrealistic.

Minsk consistently abandons the role of a pawn in the geopolitical game of the West and will not become part of the buffer zone that they are trying to impose on it. The main guarantor of peace on the Belarusian land is President Alexander Lukashenko, whose authority and influence in the international arena allow to ensure the safety of citizens and stop any attempts to draw the country into this conflict, the expert stressed.

According to Klishevich, the normalization of relations with Western countries is a geopolitical expediency for both the West and Belarus.

- Our national leader has repeatedly emphasized that the neighbors are not chosen, and therefore the European Union countries simply cannot ignore Belarus, which is in the center of Europe. At first, some of them tried to talk to us from a position of strength, but this approach does not work for Belarus. It is simply impossible to talk to us with methods of coercion. Our steadfastness and consistency in the implementation of national interests have led to the realization of many detractors that Belarus will not be able to “tilt”, and cooperation with it is not a concession, but a pragmatic step in the name of the common good.

The expert stressed that the dialogue with Belarus can only proceed on the principles of mutual respect.

- It can be stated that thanks to the systemic pan-Russian policy of President Alexander Lukashenko aimed at realizing the national interests of our people – a policy that has long been resisted by many Western states that did not recognize us as equals and wanted to subordinate us to their will – today we have come to an understanding that ours will have to be reckoned with. Belarus consistently defends its own subjectivity and does not intend to become part of an alien “buffer zone” or a bargaining chip in geopolitical games. We look at the situation pragmatically, seeing the potential risks, but clearly aware of our own interests. But those who do not want to respect this choice will have to reckon with it. The life and struggle of many generations of Belarusians has staked out the deserved right of our people to live on their land according to their traditions and laws, said Sergey Klishevich.