[Igor Antunov]

The president of Belarus has said the country is ready to unite with long-time ally Russia, raising the prospect of Moscow absorbing the eastern European dictatorship on the borders of Poland and Lithuania.

Putin’s presidential term will end in 2024, and the current constitution prevents him for running again. It has been suggested that he could bypass these restrictions by creating a new nation through a union with Belarus.

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-belarus ... ko-1333800

It's free real estate.

[Rich]

This is wonderful news.

[Rugoz]

Pretty sure that news is bullshit.

[Beren]

Sure, why would Lukashenko give up his kingdom to help Putin solve a constitutional problem he could easily solve by other means anyway?

[anasawad]

Not gonna happen.
Discussed dozens of times before and pretty much every aspect it's a mess that cant be fixed if a union took place.
Heck, just in the time I spent in Belarus, It's been 4 or 5 times so far where tensions heat up on trade and industry matters between the two governments.
A union isn't just unlikely, it's almost impossible under current conditions.


On the other hand;
Matters that are currently on the table for the union (Eurasian union) as a whole is that of travel restrictions between member countries.
Basically copy paste the European union policies.

I didn't watch the video in the OP, but I suspect its this matter it's talking about.

[ThirdTerm]

Q: But are you – Russians and Belarusians – ready for it?

Lukashenko: The two of us could unite tomorrow, no problem. We’re ready to unite and consolidate our efforts, states and peoples as far as we’re ready.


Rumors resurfaced this year that Russia could annex Belarus as Putin’s constitutional term limits bar him from running for the presidency in 2024. Lukashenko probably agreed with Putin on the matter to avoid conflict with Russia.



In the 9th century, the territory of modern Belarus was part of Kievan Rus', a vast East Slavic state ruled by the Rurikid dynasty. The name Belarus is derived from the term White Rus'.

[anasawad]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 89416.html

At the weekend, a local independent news outlet reported that the Belarusian leader had summoned a secret meeting with his top officials, and had resolved to “defend independence to the hilt”

The news you're putting are wrong.
There will be no union.


EDIT:
You can watch the full meeting and discussion between the two parties online BTW.
The subjects were just as I mentioned previously regarding the Eurasian union, economic union, and policies.

[Igor Antunov]

Sure, why would Lukashenko give up his kingdom to help Putin solve a constitutional problem he could easily solve by other means anyway?

Because then Lukashenko would enter the organs of power in Russia, and thus be in line for leadership of a great global power, vs a satellite state of Russia. At worst he gains 100% immunity and protection from the international community, just as the Chechen leader has done, who reigns over his private kingdom only answering to one man (putin) vs having to juggle relations and economic favors with multiple states.

There may not be a union, but there will be annexation. The same fate awaits what's left of Ukraine. It is logical for Russia to eventually eat compromised neighbors.

[anasawad]

@Igor Antunov
Not gonna happen.
Belarussians and Russians are not the same people nor are the same national or social group, and in many ways not very close to each other.
An attempted annexation will be met with brutal resistance and most likely let in NATO involvement, which Russia knows it would happen if it attempted such thing.
Then Russia will have NATO a few miles from Moscow; Not a desirable outcome if there is any.

The whole idea of Russia "annexing" eastern Europe and Belarus included has been discussed many times all the way back to 2014 and 2015, To the point that the president himself addressed the topic.

[Beren]

Because then Lukashenko would enter the organs of power in Russia, and thus be in line for leadership of a great global power, vs a satellite state of Russia. At worst he gains 100% immunity and protection from the international community, just as the Chechen leader has done, who reigns over his private kingdom only answering to one man (putin) vs having to juggle relations and economic favors with multiple states.

There may not be a union, but there will be annexation. The same fate awaits what's left of Ukraine. It is logical for Russia to eventually eat compromised neighbors.

It still must be good if you have your own country, even if it's a quasi-oblast/republic/krai/whatever of the Russian Federation. So is this what Ukraine has avoided?

I don't give a shit if Belarus becomes part of Russia, by the way.

[Igor Antunov]

So many here denying the inevitable. It is already done.

[colliric]

So many here denying the inevitable. It is already done.

I am happy for this development.

Fuck the secularist European Union.

A stronger Russia means a stronger Russian Orthodox Church(& Catholic Church too as it is the second largest there), a stronger traditional Christianity and a stronger bulwark against the racist atheist EU bullshit.

[ThirdTerm]

The real rationale behind this move is getting around the constitutional restriction on presidential term limit. A new “superstate” would require a new leader with a powerful new position, which Putin would assume. Such a position would be ideal for Putin when he reaches his constitutional limit as Russian president in 2024. There is the two terms limitation for the President of the Russian Federation. I remember Soviet leaders who were too senior to serve as the first secretary of the Communist Party, which made the Soviet Union dysfunctional. Putin is still too young to retire.

[Beren]

I am happy for this development.

Fuck the secularist European Union.

A stronger Russia means a stronger Russian Orthodox Church(& Catholic Church too as it is the second largest there), a stronger traditional Christianity and a stronger bulwark against the racist atheist EU bullshit.

Sure, life's great in the Russian sphere of influence, and always has been, especially when the Orthodox Church thrived. Only the lucky ones have the privilege to belong there, and they definitely need a strong bulwark against the shitty EU!

[annatar1914]

So many here denying the inevitable. It is already done.

Slava, svyatoy Rusi!

This is good news, and in my opinion either Putin or Lukashenko would be great leaders of the new Russian Gosudarst!

[Potemkin]

Sure, life's great in the Russian sphere of influence, and always has been, especially when the Orthodox Church thrived. Only the lucky ones have the privilege to belong there, and they definitely need a strong bulwark against the shitty EU!

Do I detect the merest soupcon of sarcasm in your post, Beren?

[anasawad]

Not gonna happen.
The people of Belarus wont accept such state and will invite foreign powers in if Russia attempted to push too far.
Again, NATO on the gates of Moscow isn't what Russia wants.

[Heisenberg]

Hasn't this been on the cards for about 20 years?

The Commonwealth of Belarus and Russia was founded on 2 April 1996. The basis of the union was strengthened on 2 April 1997, with the signing of the "Treaty on the Union between Belarus and Russia" at which time its name was changed to the Union of Belarus and Russia. Several further agreements were signed on 25 December 1998, with the intention of providing greater political, economic, and social integration.

[anasawad]

@Heisenberg
True. And that was the foundation of the Eurasian union.
However the union was not and is not intended to fully unify the two into one, nor has anyone ever suggested such or even agreed to it, especially not in Belarus.

To suggest the union is meant to turn them into one country would be the same as suggesting the EU is meant to turn all of Europe into one large country; They aren't.

[Beren]

Do I detect the merest soupcon of sarcasm in your post, Beren?

I always take colliric's posts bloody seriously. He's the greatest poster here, although he has to cope with some serious competitors from his homeland sometimes. I also seriously believe the Russian sphere of influence should be extended to the whole world and beyond, even if it takes Vladimir Vladimirovic Kremlin a whole lifetime to achieve. Until then Russia needs strong bulwarks against the EU and her great president should heavily rely on the Orthodox Church while making the country great again. I also appreciate the honesty lying in Putin and Lukashenko making their feudal relationship official and Belarus not even pretending to be a sovereign country anymore and becoming a mere fiefdom on paper as well, if it really happens. I haven't realised it yet though how all that is supposed to be a game changer. Maybe the Russian people would be deeply disappointed and hurt in their firm constitutional beliefs if their president circumvented his own constitution by any other means than establishing a whole new nation, which is really something the great Slavic tribe should celebrate.