Former NATO Secretary-General: Belarus faces annexation by Russia
The former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in an interview with LIGA.net, stated that Belarus faces the threat of annexation by Russia.
“The key risk is a repeat of what happened in Ukraine after the war and the annexation. Belarus can expect the same scenario if it does not begin reforms,” he said.
Rasmussen called on Belarus to begin reforms which would lead to democracy and freedom before it's too late.
“We heard Vladimir Putin’s statement where he said that Belarus must be integrated as a part of Russia like the Crimean Peninsula. I would like Belarus to receive more help from the West. However, we need to see that Belarus has positioned itself towards freedom and democracy,” he said.
The former NATO-Secretary-General suggests that President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko must choose: “either reform or continuous oppression by the Russians.”