This week on the podcast we look at the announcement by Vladimir Putin to move Russian nuclear weapons into Belarus and equip Belarusian forces with dual-use equipment and technology. We discuss what the security implications are of this decision, how it fits into Russia’s wider nuclear doctrine and how concerned we should be?

We also dive into the internal dynamics of Belarus. It’s been three years since the 2020 presidential election. An election Aliaksandr Lukashenka was widely seen to have lost, sparking widespread pro-democracy protests. Since then, however, Lukashenka has crushed the opposition in Belarus, kidnapped journalists and been drawn into Russia’s invasion against Ukraine. Our experts discuss the sentiment in Belarus via polling data commissioned by Chatham House and ask how the West should engage with Europe’s last dictatorship?

Joining Bronwen Maddox on the show this week are colleagues from our Russia and Eurasia Program. Keir Giles is a Senior Consulting Fellow with REP and the author of a recent Chatham House report on Russia’s nuclear doctrine; Ryhor Astapenia, is the Director of our Belarus Initiative and joining them is journalist and Associate Fellow  Samantha de Bendern.

Read our expertise:

Russian nuclear intimidation

Rethinking Western policy towards Belarus

Turkey’s next leader may be pro-West but not anti-Russia

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Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.