Mass media: “Last tyrant of Europe” and “lame duck” of Ukrainian politics go well together

Visiting Ukraine in the mid of pre-election outbreak of either flu or pneumonic plague, Alyaksandr Lukashenka solved his own, concrete tasks. And Viktor Yushchenko, who welcomed him, solved his tasks.

“The last dictator of Europe” and the “lame duck” of Ukrainian politics make a good match. But while for the president of Ukraine who is leaving his position there was more of PR in fraternization with the neighbour, for Lukashenka this motive was on the second place, “utro.ru” writes.

Against the background of first snow falls the Belarusian ruler is getting ready for talks with Russia on gas prices, and the issue of granting the loan hasn’t been solved so far. In general, bilateral relations need additional boosting. As usual, Moscow presented carrots and sticks as incentives. One variant for Belarus is to turn towards the West, join the project of hydrocarbons transit bypassing Russia, or sanitary cordon” from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, and the other variant is “to forgive and forget” everything, and as the first step to return to the issue of recognition Abkhazia and South Ossetia’s independence.

Over the year the “carrot” has spoiled, and moreover this time the things have come to such a pitch that a special commission was created. And to demonstrate the stick Yushchenko was needed, both as a member of the Eastern Partnership program of the EU, and Minsk expects sponsorship of this program) and as a representative of Washington’s interests in the post-Soviet area. The first thing would be necessary anyway, and the second in the case when no understanding with Moscow would be found, and Minsk would really have to turn to the West somehow and move in the direction of the West.

Considering the public image of the Belarusian ruler, he would need a guide or a Sherpa as they say now. And there is no better candidate for this position then Yushchenko, especially if he would be able to postpone elections. Other neighbours, Poland and the Baltic States, are too arrogant. They have learnt to say the right words about cooperation, but when it comes to the point, even Latvia which has been considerably affected by the crisis, treats Belarusian cooperation proposals as confirmation of its “success and being in demand” and starts to “teach democracy” immediately.

As for the Old World, the treat Belarus extremely cautiously, which has been once again confirmed by the results of the Minsk Forum held last week with participation of politicians, analysts and diplomats of 20 European countries. The Belarusian side pressed Western European businessmen to come, and in response heard reminders about necessity of political reforms. You won't get anywhere with them. They may agree to some forms of cooperation, but anyway they won’t give a chance to join their company and won’t play up in blackmailing Moscow. And Lukashenka wants to go into the geopolitical open and speak about “strategic partnership”. He was speaking about it in Kyiv, all the time returning to Moscow “stressed by Belarus and Ukraine’s rapprochement, but it is their problem”. Yushchenko was nodding with satisfaction: well, that’s true, we have gathered here and together withstand Russia’s gas pressure.

The two presidents were not solving any serious problems. Conversations about electricity supply, trade, organizing of transit and transport by road transit had no concrete details. It is not an affair of the presidents. The only winning topic was an agreement on borders. It was in limbo for 12 years. Details of the agreement are studied by the foreign ministries of the two countries, but things aren't moving. It could continue like this, but Belarus needs to solve its border issues in the context of its joining the Eastern Partnership.

So all this story could be viewed as an illustration of what is happening in former Soviet states, which leaders are more interested by the search of their self-definition then establishing working relations between each other. The result is all their rushing about between centres of power, and the weak m reaction of Moscow to the geopolitical veering of Lukashenka. Over the last five years the Belarusian leader several times tried to organize a march to the West, and it is simply annoying.

Lukashenka has got used to be proud of the “Belarusian wonder”, which was based on special relations with Russia. Minsk was buying energy resources at home Russian prices, and sold end products at world prices. And he was not giving anything in return. And when Moscow got tired of it, he went on the rampage. But it hasn’t helped him.