Łukašenka laments Eastern Europe’s militarization at CSTO summit

November 28, Pozirk. The situation in the world is “only getting worse,” with the arms race “rapidly gaining momentum,” Alaksandar Łukašenka has told top security officials from Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states in Kazakhstan’s Astana.
“The militarization of the Eastern European region, especially Poland, continues,” his press office quoted him as saying. The Belarusian ruler also complained about the expansion of NATO activities in Europe and globally.
He omitted the fact that Eastern Europe started building up its defense capabilities in response to Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine, in which Minsk supports the Kremlin.
Five out of six CTSO member states participated in the summit: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. Armenia froze its membership as it considers pulling out of the CSTO over the latter’s failure to respond to Azerbaijan’s capture of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia’s absence “characterizes the current geopolitical situation in the region” and “to some extent” the bloc itself, said Łukašenka, who supported Azerbaijan in its conflict with Minsk’s ally Armenia, including by supplying weapons.
The Astana summit is the second CSTO event that Yerevan ignored after it refused to participate in a similar event in Minsk last November.

Belarus’ top diplomat sounds alarm over NATO activities at CSTO summit
- SocietyThree die in car crashes involving unlicenced driversThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyThunderstorm aftermath: 176 toppled trees, properties damagedThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyJob openings exceed 210,000 in early JuneThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyŁukašenka unveils Minsk stadium, thanks ChinaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsBelarusian envoy discusses labor migration with Vietnam’s officialsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsWarsaw extends border area entry ban by 90 daysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsOpposition politicians meet diplomats from Australia, BelgiumThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: Minsk keeps cracking down on freedom of expressionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus’ sanctioned airline adds A330-200 to its fleetThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SportScottish Greens leader wants Belarus banned from World Cup qualifiersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja to take part in EU-Belarus group meeting in BrusselsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsHuman rights defenders label 14 as political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus’ vehicle sales fall in May after a change in auto loan termsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsFourty-five people have been added to "extremist list"The material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyŁukašenka bans banks from transferring cash to foreign gambling entitiesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- Politics
- SocietyBorder guards, riot police arrest drone operator in Hrodna regionThe material is available only to POZIRK+