Belarus, although frequently overlooked in the West, is a country critical to the development of the post-Soviet states and to Europe as a whole. Its location alone — bordering Russia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine — points to Belarus’s importance as a major geopolitical player. On top of that, the ambitions of its president mean that Belarus will likely have a say in the future of Russia, Ukraine, and other neighboring states.
To address what, to date, has been short-sighted and potentially dangerous neglect of Belarus, the editors of this book bring together essays by specialists from Belarus, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, and the United States to focus on Belarus's place in the evolving European security environment. No other publication has taken such a diverse approach to this little-understood country.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Assessing the Challenge of Belarus
Sherman W. Garnett and Robert Levgold
Belarus: Foreign Policy Priorities
Anatoly Rozanov
Belarus as an Object of Polish Security Concerns
Antoni Kaminski
The Belarus Factor: The Impact of Lithuania's Foreign Policy and on Stability in the Baltic Region
Alghirdas Gricius
Belarussian-Russian Integration and Its Impact on the Security of Ukraine
Hrihoriy Perepelitsa
The Place of Belarus on Russia's Foreign Policy Agenda
Vyacheslav Nikonov
Belarus in U.S. Foreign Policy
Robert Levgold
Conclusion: Dealing with Europe's Reluctant Participant
Sherman W. Garnett and Robert Levgold