Amid Crisis, Belarus Re-examines its Political and Security Situation

Belarus will host the latest round of talks between Ukraine and Russia in Minsk on Aug. 1 as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko continues to push his country as a mediator in the crisis. Lukashenko's motivation is not altruistic, however, as Belarus is not immune to the competition between Russia and the West over the strategic borderland countries of the former Soviet periphery.

Since the Ukraine crisis, Belarus has largely been spared pro-Western demonstrations. But recent developments in Ukraine and rising pressure against Russia mean Belarus could become vulnerable to unrest. This has forced Minsk to re-evaluate its key relationships — with Russia, with the West and with its own pro-Western opposition — to reduce the odds of a repeat scenario of Ukraine.