Caption this

Highly respected President of Belarus

Summary of Lukashenka’s interview with @shustry.bsky.social from TIME: “Trump is a blabbermouth. I am a Trumpist”

I’m watching a video of distinguished, talented American diplomats departing the State Department to the applause of their colleagues and the tearful embraces of loved ones waiting outside. My heart is with you today. ⬇️ 🧵

How a Ukrainian taxi driver helped me get into Harvard. A Sunday thread 🧵

Lukashenka VS His opponent Tsikhanouski What do you notice?

A thread 🧵 by @pavelslunkin.bsky.social on xhitter about meeting between Lukashenka 🇧🇾 and Kellogg 🇺🇸 💁‍♂️

❤️❤️❤️

One of yesterday's big stories was the surprise release of political prisoners by the illegitimate "president" of Belarus. Very interesting points made on Xitter by @pavelslunkin.bsky.social about the meeting between potato dictator Lukashenko and US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg.

U.S.–Iran: new chapter unfolding

My very brief, speculative take on today’s talks:

Belarusian jails in two pictures: Tsikhanouski before and after imprisonment

Funny moment: Keith Kellog describes Lukashenka’s office: “With all this gold, it looks a lot like Mar-a-Lago.” The Belarusian Ambassador to the UN, interpreting, mistranslated it as: “It’s better to see this than a golf club at Mar-a-Lago.”

After Kellog’s visit to Belarus, Lukashenka released Siarhei Tsikhanouski — a former presidential candidate and the husband of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya who was arrested by the regime — along with 13 other political prisoners. Siarhei and Sviatlana met in Vilnius. Such great news!

Ok, he is getting nervous

9 years ago, I met Pope Francis for the first time at the UN General Assembly. He said that international law and human rights 'are lights which help to dispel the darkness of the disorder caused by unrestrained ambitions.' Today, these words sound even more resonant and urgent.

From RAND 2019 report: “Russia is not a peer or near-peer competitor but rather a well-armed rogue state that seeks to subvert an international order it can never hope to dominate. China is a peer competitor that wants to shape an international order that it can aspire to dominate”

U.S. policy once served as a clear deterrent for autocrats, who knew there were lines not to cross. Now, those lines are gone. A NATO member can arrest the leading opposition figure - the mayor of the largest city, ban protests and media coverage, and Washington won’t care. /1 ⬇️

Americans traditionally stop supporting U.S.’s war efforts three years after the start of military action. Ukraine fits into this trend of fatigue. Chart by Matthew Baum

Georgia. The hundredth (!!!) day of protests. Without a break. Without excuses. When democracy is breaking down all over the world. This is called perseverance and resilience. ❤️

A photo that reflects my mood: complete darkness, pouring rain, and strong winds all around. But thanks to decent people, there is light. And hope.

How it is going

A lesson learned by Belarusians over the past five years. It will be useful for my European and American friends who keep asking, “Where is the bottom?!” Well, there is no bottom. Brace yourselves - it will only get worse. And worse. And worse.

Дорогі українці, хочу ще раз сказати вам, як я вами захоплююся. Незважаючи на божевільну несправедливість, яка триває вже понад 11 років, ви показуєте світу, що таке стійкість і навіть знаходите в собі сили жартувати. Обіймаю вас! І дуже люблю. ❤️❤️❤️

There was another greatest-ever deal on rare earth minerals. In 2017. With Afganistan

Speaking of dictators. In 2018, when asked whether he planned to run for president in 2030, Putin responded: "Let’s do the math. What, am I supposed to sit here until I’m 100 years old? No." In 2021, Putin changed the Constitution, allowing him to remain in power until 2036.

Cowards may salute dictators, but Ukraine will defend its freedom. Three years ago, Russia felt what it’s like

An important reminder from Boston

I think Trump-watchers urgently need to retire the idea of a "transactional" foreign policy. In the light of what's happening, this is another rationalization of something much darker.

Hat Shaming and Style Crew

My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love

“Las negociaciones no sólo irán sobre el alto el fuego en Ucrania. Lo que negocian EEUU y Rusia es la redistribución de las esferas de influencia”, apunta @pavelslunkin.bsky.social. “Tiene más que ver sobre la presencia de EEUU en Europa que sobre Ucrania”. www.elespanol.com/edicion/2025...

Well put by Jeremy Shapiro

How it started

'The Europeans and the Ukrainians have nothing in their depots' - Armin Papperger, chief executive of Rheinmetall. Europe is entering a new wild era in international relations, prepared as never before...

Ironically, after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many experts predicted the collapse of Russia. Instead, what happened was the collapse of Euro-Atlantic unity and world order

The most European ‘show of force’ one can ever imagine

For those of you who abandoned Twitter. Look what narratives they start spreading there

Ten years ago, I was on the organizing team for the Minsk talks on Ukraine. Years later, I found a short note with my impressions: Putin was arrogantly late and full of himself. Poroshenko - utterly exhausted. Hollande - desperately unconscious. Merkel was just being Merkel.

Pavel Slunkin said: “The worst thing that Americans could do now is to stay out of politics.” “Authoritarianism is not something that happens overnight. It is the process of crossing one red line after another over time, without meeting resistance.”

An important update about my latest post

The world has reached its most dangerous point for democracies in decades. What seemed impossible yesterday is now becoming the new normal today. If liberal democracies don’t unite for self-preservation, they risk disappearing sooner than we imagine. Short and scary 🧵 below

Tbilisi now ❤️

While many EU nations grow increasingly euroskeptical, Georgians remain willing to die for their European choice

78 Georgian diplomats signed a statement for the EU accession after the government announced to stop it. Proud of every one of you, colleagues and true patriots of Georgia! Diplomacy is not about serving your bosses. It is about serving your people and your country.

Georgians, my heart is with you!

This woman filmed a long queue at a clinic in Mahiliou, Belarus and posted the video online. She was arrested and is set to stand trial for "discrediting Belarus." The criminal charge carries a penalty of up to 4 years in prison.

An alleged audio recording of Lukashenka and Prigozhin (Wagner) during the mutiny in 2023 has surfaced on Russian Telegram. Here is a thread with the transcription of it. *You can thank me by reposting it*⬇️

A former Belarusian volunteer from the Kalinouski Regiment, who fought for Ukraine, was arrested in Vietnam and extradited to Belarus. Earlier, he had been denied residency in Lithuania due to his prior service in the Belarusian army before 2022

A glimpse into how Belarus is preparing for the presidential ‘election’ in January 2025: Security services are conducting drills on detaining political opponents at polling stations. This is not a joke.