Ginzburg, Boris (2026): Why Lukashenka Plays the Anti-Putin Card. ZOiS Spotlight 4/2026 (Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS)). Online: https://www.zois-berlin.de/en/publications/zois-spotlight/why-lukashenka-plays-the-anti-putin-card

Abstract

Belarus is a co-aggressor in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Yet Aliaksandr Lukashenka projects an image of himself as an anti-Putin – releasing political prisoners and sending conciliatory signals to the West. This balancing act is not without risks.