As the US shifted its policy towards engagement with the regime of Lukashenka, questions about Western coordination and the EU’s policy towards Belarus have come to the forefront. This pivot is particularly controversial given that Lukashenka’s regime remains a belligerent in the war against Ukraine, while widespread human rights violations continue across Belarus.

Following the 2020-2021 protests and the escalation of Russia’s war on Ukraine, the EU maintained a united front - refusing to recognise the regime in Minsk and continuing to support Belarusian pro-democracy actors. Against this background key questions emerge: How does US transactional diplomacy affect the EU’s leverage? What lessons can be drawn from previous policy cycles to identify more effective ways for the EU to support the pro-democracy movement?

This event will discuss the current state of EU-Belarus relations and assess how the recent shift in US policy might affect them. It will also shed light on ongoing domestic developments in Belarus, including in the context of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

This event welcomes the participation of EPC member organisations, EU institutions and media.

For media enquiries, please contact media@epc.eu.

             For other queries, please contact events@epc.eu.