Belarus Deputy FM: "We in Belarus do not consider the additional deployment of troops in the Baltic states and Poland and threat to the security of Belarus."
http://www.newsweek.com/putins-ally-belarus-not-threatened-nato-reinforcement-479713
President Lukashenko of Belarus describes collapse of USSR "a horrible thing." Said the USSR was an "unparalleled system" which could have survived had it been "reworked," and that communism "should have been preserved." Lukashenko went on to call for closer economic and military ties with Russia.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/532722/belarus-dictator-russia-vladimir-putin-soviet-union
An interesting if not convoluted subject. Belarus made efforts to normalize relations with the west, and the EU discontinued their sanctions against them. Lukashenko went on to suggest that strong ties with the west are unacceptable, as it would create tension between Belarus and Russia. Belarus has acted as an arbitrator in the Ukraine conflict, promising to assume the role of a neutral party in talks between Russia and Ukraine in Minsk.
EU/NATO could ally with Europe's "last dictator" for strategic reasons. Belarus could pursue closer relations with Russia for ideological reasons. Alternately, Belarus could maintain its current "neutral" state for its own strategic reasons - why should Belarus wish to become the theoretical battlefield which separates Russia from NATO anyway? Of course, Belarus is in fact already Russia's ally, historically/ideologically and directly as a result of the CSTO.
There've been recent talks on the subject of Belarus providing Russia with military bases. Belarus has suggested that they're in favor of such a deal, and yet simultaneously oppose it. Belarus generally seems to favor Russian air bases, but not army bases, which is interesting considering that Lukashenko once served in the Soviet army. Perhaps if Russia begins behaving more like the Soviet Union than the Russian Federation, especially should it revert to communism or convert Ukraine into a satellite state, then a Stalinist Putin can expect a firm ally in Belarus. After all, Lukashenko was the only man in Belarusian government to vote against departure from the Soviet Union back in the day. Yet without a Stalinist Putin, Belarus may turn out to be a fair-weather friend, better known as an opportunist.
What does Russia really think of Belarus though? Putin confides in Lukashenko.
http://www.newsweek.com/russia-putin-tells-lukashenko-he-has-trouble-sleeping-468334
Does Lukashenko think of Putin as his friend as well? He doesn't even know who Putin is.
http://www.newsweek.com/lukashenko-confuses-russias-putin-medvedev-belarus-430398
Yet, following his meeting with Putin, Erdogan plans to meet with Lukashenko in Minsk.
http://www.newsweek.com/after-putin-erdogan-will-meet-belaruss-lukashenko-489341
This comes after Lukashenko rushed to offer his support of Erdogan following the uprising.
http://rbth.com/international/troika/2016/04/18/opportunistic-lukashenko-seeks-benefits-by-courting-erdogan_585903
Yet Lukashenko says he was offered an American bribe to turncoat and side with NATO.
https://www.rt.com/politics/lukashenko-russia-relations-conference-305/
I'd say this is a man who never misses an opportunity, and the only side he's on is his own. After all, a few years after the Belarusian departure from the USSR, Lukashenko was placed in charge of investigating corruption within the government in 1993. Later that same year, this incorruptible man was discovered to be corrupt himself, stealing from government coffers. He was forced out of his position as a result. Just one year later he was voted into the office of the presidency after a campaign promising to "defeat the mafia that is the conspiracy of New World Order and Zionism." One year after that, he was again accused of corruption, particularly for violations of the constitution, and parliament made an effort to impeach him as a result. Another year later, he modified the constitution which not only nullified his previous violations of it, but made him de facto dictator of Belarus.
Lukashenko's entire history is that of an opportunist. Which side is Lukashenko on? Lukasheno's side. However, Lukashenko was once a member of what was basically the "Stalin Youth," Komsomol. In fact, he was the leader of his chapter. He has modeled his nation after the Soviet Union which he loved and once took up arms in defense of. Lukashenko is loyal only to Lukashenko, but if Putin was to convince Lukshenko that he's the new Stalin, maybe then Putin could count on unwavering support from Minsk - but only then. So far however, I think it's fairly evident that Lukashenko doesn't think of Putin in such impressive terms, and thus Lukashenko can't be trusted, by anyone.
http://www.defconwarningsystem.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=6077&p=53548&hilit=lukashenko#p53548
