THE ISOLATION OF EUROPE’S LAST DICTATOR

By David Marples

The Czech Republic’s refusal to issue a visa to Belarusan President Alyaksandr Lukashenka to attend the NATO summit in Prague has been followed by bans on the president and leading members of his government in almost all European Union countries. The United States has applied similar restrictions. In Moscow, Lukashenka met with Vladimir Putin, but appeared less ebullient than usual. A new stage in the history of the Russia-Belarus Union appears to be underway, with Belarusan room for manoeuvre severely limited.

ANALYSIS OF EVENTS