Belarus' Foreign Policy in a time of crisis

Korosteleva, Elena (2011) Belarus' Foreign Policy in a time of crisis. Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics, 27 (3-4). pp. 3-23. ISSN 1352-3279. (doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13523279.2011.595167) (Access to this publication is currently restricted. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided)

Abstract

As with the rest of the world, Belarus has been affected by the global economic crisis. However, the main consequences for the country were less economic, but rather political in nature. Although closely connected with Russia, it was not the spillover of the crisis, such as the reduction in its hitherto ‘miraculous’ levels of economic growth to almost nothing in one year, that hit Belarus hard. Instead, it was Russia’s deliberate politics of ‘pragmatization’, directed at its ‘near abroad’ to facilitate compliance of and interdependence with its neighbours, which dramatically altered Belarus’s foreign policy landscape. The two principal corollaries of the global crisis for Belarus therefore included the new and irreversible search (successful or otherwise) for diversification away from Russia, and the reinvigorated sense of sovereignty with which Belarus now attempts to rebuild itself domestically and internationally.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	J Political Science J Political Science > JZ International relations
Divisions:	Faculties > Social Sciences > School of Politics and International Relations Faculties > Social Sciences > School of Politics and International Relations > Global Europe Centre
Depositing User:	Elena Korosteleva
Date Deposited:	20 Aug 2015 14:34 UTC
Last Modified:	08 May 2018 08:55 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/50251 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)