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Russia is gradually losing its foreign policy influence, including over its closest ally Belarus, as a consequence of its full-scale war against Ukraine, Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) saidr, UATV English reports.
According to the CCD, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko’s latest visit to China, which Minsk uses as a counterbalance to Moscow, reflects a broader trend of Russia’s declining geopolitical influence.
“Lukashenko’s latest visit to China, which he uses as a counterweight to Russia, is another indication of the growing trend of Russia’s declining foreign policy influence. After Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia, Russia is now losing influence even over its main satellite,” the Center said.
The unannounced trip to Beijing was Lukashenko’s fourth visit to China since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It came shortly after his talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and amid renewed Kremlin efforts to increase pressure on Belarus to deepen its involvement in the war, the CCD noted.
The Center also recalled that, ahead of Lukashenko’s visit, Belarus dismantled relay transmitters used by Russian drones to support attacks against Ukraine after Kyiv demanded their removal.
Earlier, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Lukashenko continues to resist Kremlin attempts to fully draw Belarus into Russia’s war against Ukraine.
