General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIf Belarus joins Russia
Is there anything we can do? Are we just going to let it go? So Russia can get help from another country but Ukraine can't? Is there anything USA can do?
Wingus Dingus
(8,052 posts)And hope the people of Belarus figure out what's up.
no_hypocrisy
(46,104 posts)walkingman
(7,615 posts)involved it would be bad for Ukraine but also bad for Russia. Even if Russia prevails what benefit will it be for Russia to have two countries that are torn up, in chaos, will forever have an in insurgency? For all of our sakes NATO has to stop Russia in some way or another. The alternative is unthinkable.
BlueLucy
(1,609 posts)We are already at WW3. The way Russia is fighting this war is intolerable.
Ray Bruns
(4,097 posts)dumbcat
(2,120 posts)the damned planes? They're right next door.
Jerry2144
(2,101 posts)Pssst, Ukraine, we have these MIGs on the runway, all fueled up and armed. Keys are under the floor mat. It would be a shame if someone were to steal them.
uponit7771
(90,338 posts)... figure this out when it comes to delivery.
mitch96
(13,904 posts)relayerbob
(6,544 posts)Assuming any of them would fight, it would be close to an insignificant impact
brush
(53,778 posts)Russian troop build-up on their border with Ukraine. And didn't some Russian troops enter Ukraine from Belarus?
maxsolomon
(33,345 posts)of the Dneiper River (past Chernobyl) to cut of Kyiv from Western Ukraine.
If you care to look on Google, there is a military base directly south of Brest that is clearly a place that tanks practice. A big scar on the landscape close to the Polish border.
Joinfortmill
(14,419 posts)The threat of nuclear weapons hangs heavy over U.S. and Nato decisions. And that leaves what? Getting the facts to the Russian people? That might help somewhat to encourage protests, but they would need to be on a massive scale and many Russians don't even believe their own family members who are living in Ukraine. China could possibly have some influence, but that's iffy. I guess that leaves a coup de etat. I'm praying for one. The sooner this maniac is dead, the better.
The Belarus military is even worse and less-motivated than the Russians. If they intervene, it will mean more captured military equipment that the Ukrainians can use.
maxsolomon
(33,345 posts)Which I think is coming down the pike, regardless. Lukashenko only retained power during those protests because Putin backed him, like the Junta in Kazakhstan. It's essentially a vassal state with a restive populace.
Belarus already facilitated Rusher's invasion. If they send their Cannon Fodder into the war, then sanction them to the level Russia is sanctioned: cut them off from the SWIFT system, etc. The US/EU/NATO won't "let it go".
Any non-NATO country is free to help Ukraine. Finland could send troops. The Swedes could send aircraft.
Martin68
(22,800 posts)Russia. It would be an incredibly stupid move given the current value of the ruble and the Russian stock market...
Gore1FL
(21,132 posts)I think Belarus will erupt. Any troops they manage to get into Ukraine will simply join the the unsupplied gaggle of foreign invaders already in the country.
While I would prefer this not widen, I do believe this is going to backfire on the supporters of the Russian invasion.
redwitch
(14,944 posts)He can fall first and Putin can follow.
AntiFascist
(12,792 posts)after all, Belarus is not Russia, so it would not be a direct confrontation with Russia.
Having said that, Belarus is part of the 'Union State of Russian and Belarus', where:
https://web.archive.org/web/20160108110022/http://windowonheartland.blogspot.com/2012/01/union-state-of-russia-and-belarus.html