Foreign Policy Venues of the Republic of Belarus amid Confrontation with Western States: Role of the Union State and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Abstract

The article is devoted to the transformation of the foreign policy venues of the Republic of Belarus in the context of confrontation with Western countries. The author assesses the impact of external threats (both traditional and the “new” ones) on the foreign policy of Belarus, reveals the causes and nature of the rapprochement between Belarus and Russia in foreign and domestic political issues, and also assesses the prospects for the Union State. Special attention is paid to the problems of implementing the road maps of the Union State. The article discusses the consequences of the sanctions policy aimed at Belarus and Russia, as well as the mechanisms of joint response. The author emphasizes the importance of the Asian track of the foreign policy of Belarus on the example of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization; based on an assessment of the opportunities and possible challenges from the accession of Belarus to the SCO, the author concludes that such a step is of strategic importance for the development of the country and its foreign policy.