Andrzej Poczobut warns against expecting a diplomatic reset with Belarus

Journalist Andrzej Poczobut has stated that expectations of a diplomatic “reset” or warming of relations with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko are unrealistic. Speaking during lectures and meetings in Canada and the United States, Poczobut described the Belarusian political system as being “one step away from totalitarianism.”

Poczobut noted that while Lukashenko is indifferent to Western political values, he remains interested in economic cooperation. Consequently, a “something for something” approach to negotiations is possible, driven by the needs of the Belarusian economy rather than political alignment.

He also emphasized the importance of the Union of Poles in Belarus as a rare independent organization and suggested that the situation in Belarus should be understood in the broader context of the war in Ukraine, framing it as a global conflict between democratic and authoritarian values.