In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam Reichardt speaks with David Marples and Veronica Laputska, authors of the new Oxford University Press book Belarus: What Everyone Needs to Know, about the country that sits at the heart ofEurope's security.

They discuss why Belarus is far more than "Russia's puppet state," how the 2020 protests permanently transformed the Belarusian society, why hundreds of thousands have fled into exile, and whether Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s regime can survive if Vladimir Putin weakens.

The conversation also examines the Trump administration's renewed engagement with Lukashenka, the continued repression inside Belarus, and what a democratic future mightactually look like.

Guests
David Marples – University of Alberta
Veronica Laputska – Political scientist and Belarus expert

Check out their book: Belarus: What Everyone Needs toKnow published by Oxford University Press: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/belarus-9780197772959?cc=pl&lang=en&

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