The US and Europe are diverging on how to deal with Belarus — and that could benefit Putin’s loyal ally

Behind the difference looms the specter of Russia, which each side sees in increasingly opposing terms.

By: Tatsiana Kulakevich, University of South Florida, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 4, 2026

Words: 1,457

Last Updated: 1 month, 2 weeks ago

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By Tatsiana Kulakevich, University of South Florida

When it comes to relations with Belarus, the Trump administration has been pursuing a dual approach of late.

In May 2026, President Donald Trump renewed the U.S. national emergency on Belarus, noting that the government of longtime Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko still posed an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to U.S. security and foreign policy.

The emergency, which in practice underpins the legal basis for targeted U.S. sanctions on …

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