‘Officers Will Be The First To Welcome NATO In Belarus’

Our country can join the Alliance faster than many people think.

The presentation of the book “Belarus in NATO” took place in the Warsaw “Eastern European House” (Dom Wschodni).

Leader of the European Belarus civil campaign, ex-presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov, ex-Minister of Defense of Poland, former Vice-President of the European Parliament Janusz Onyszkiewicz and the famous Russian-American historian Yuri Felshtinsky took part in the discussion. The moderator was Natallia Radzina, Editor-in-Chief of the website Charter97.org.

Leader of the European Belarus civil campaign Andrei Sannikov believes that our country should not rely on Moscow on the issue of joining NATO:

— Our tragedy is that we think what Russia will say. There were such conversations with the Americans: “We are preparing protests. People are unhappy, they don’t want to tolerate Lukashenka.” The Americans said: “What will Moscow do?”

Moscow, as Estonian expert Silver Loit correctly stated in his book, is the only destructive force in Europe. That's it, there are no others.

Poland did not ask Moscow about its NATO membership. They moved together — Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Interestingly, former Polish President Lech Wałęsa said that he feels guilty that Belarus and Ukraine did not become NATO members. Of course, this is, as they say, “wishful thinking” (hopes for something unlikely — edit.), but this is what could help Europe.

We shouldn't look at what the Kremlin will do. The Kremlin will be preparing a big war. They have already begun to talk about this in the USA, Germany and other countries. European politicians say that if there is a break in the war with Ukraine, Putin will prepare an even bigger war.

I advise you to read the book. No one in it says: “What will Moscow say” or “when will Belarus join NATO?” It can happen very quickly. Look what's happened lately. Talk began that soldiers from a NATO country could participate in the war in Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg said that it is possible to destroy Russian military facilities participating in the war outside the borders of Ukraine. Who is involved in the war? Russia and Belarus.

Therefore, the scenario that will help Ukraine win and Belarus become free is quite realistic and different from what we see today.

Lukashenka's media are already discussing Belarus' accession to NATO. I just showed this book on some YouTube channels — propagandists are already discussing it.

Are Belarusians afraid of NATO? No, they are not afraid. I will say more, I was engaged not only in diplomatic work, but also worked very closely with the military. I know that Belarusian officers will be the first to welcome NATO to Belarus. In the 1990s, Belarusian officers were in contact with their colleagues from the Alliance, and they really, really liked it. There was enormous respect for them there.

The book contains an article by my colleague from Finland, Kari Luhto. He writes that before 2022, only 30% of Finns were in favor of joining NATO, and after February 24, 2022 — immediately 75%. Therefore, everything will move very quickly in Belarus.