Integration of Russia and Belarus

Alexander Duleba and Jozef Hrabina (analyst, Ph.D. student at the Moscow Institute of International Relations) were guests of Soňa Juriková on 16.9.2021 in the program Z prvej ruky, prepared by RTVS. 

Today, the biggest military exercise in the last 40 years – West 2021 – is coming to an end in Belarus. Some parts of the maneuvers took place just a few kilometers from the borders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member states and have caused considerable nervousness, especially in Poland and Lithuania. A few days ago, Moscow and Minsk announced the gradual integration of the two countries. 

What does this mean for the European Union and NATO? 

Why is integration happening now, even though the agreement on bringing Russia and Belarus closer together has been dormant for 25 years?

Moderator: Soňa Juriková. The discussion Z prvej ruky is prepared by RTVS – Slovak Radio, Radio Slovakia, SRo1. We broadcast every working day at 12:30 on Radio Slovakia. 

RTVS archive: https://www.rtvs.sk/radio/archiv/1175/1645527 

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/sk/podcast/integr%C3%A1cia-ruska-a-bieloruska-16-9-2021-12-30/id1481178834?i=1000535530087&l=sk

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2RjWYhCyH0TVD766tuAEj5