Nor does he have to worry much about pressure from the West generally. The United States and the European Union have both condemned the violence against protesters but they have taken no concrete steps to punish Mr. Lukashenko and his security officials or to support his opponents. The United States is also preparing to impose sanctions against individuals and business entities in Belarus. But Mr. Lukashenko, having declared in August that “until you kill me, there will not be any more elections,” has shown no real interest in changing anything any time soon. He refuses to even talk with his foes, denouncing them as treasonous “rats” and “tricksters” who belong in jail, not at the negotiating table.

Source: New York Times September 12, 2020 09:00 UTC