Belarus was described as a co-belligerent of Russia in the Russo-Ukrainian War by the Institute for the Study of War in 2022 reports. The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2023 Armed Conflict Survey also described Belarus as "a co-belligerent but not a co-combatant".
Russia is Belarus' largest and most important economic and political partner. Both are members of various international organisations, including the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and the United Nations.
Belarusian foreign minister spokesman Andrei Savinykh rejected the idea, as did Dmitri Medojev, South Ossetia's ambassador to Moscow, who stated "Our people voted for independence in a referendum in 2006 and they do not relish the idea of becoming part of the Russian Federation."
When Max tells Phoebe that he and David are going to Minsk, he tells her it's in Russia. It is, in fact, the capital of Belarus. Moreover, Belarus has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991 (three years prior to this episode).
Russia remains the largest and most important partner for Belarus both in the political and economic fields.
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, with Vladimir Putin in 2002. Despite a number of economic disputes in the mid-2000s, Belarus has remained one of Russia's closest allies.
Belarus has not joined NATO because it is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization under the auspices of Russia, and the Security Treaties with NATO regulate the exchange of classified information affecting the interests of sovereign states.
Christianity is the main religion in Belarus, with Eastern Orthodoxy being the largest denomination. The legacy of the state atheism of the Soviet era is apparent in the fact that a proportion of Belarusians (especially in the east part of the country) are not religious.
While there's no single "best friend," China is Russia's most crucial strategic partner, especially economically and politically, described as "friends of steel," with strong military and trade ties. Belarus is considered the closest ally in the post-Soviet space, while India, North Korea, Iran, and Turkey also feature prominently as key friends or partners, often united by shared geopolitical interests or opposition to Western influence.
From 1569, it was the capital of Minsk Voivodeship, an administrative division of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was part of the territories annexed by the Russian Empire in 1793, as a consequence of the Second Partition of Poland.
Russia still fields a massive military, aiming for ~1.5 million active personnel with millions more reserves, but faces significant attrition in equipment (especially tanks) and experienced personnel due to the war in Ukraine, relying heavily on mobilization and volunteer recruitment to replenish losses despite heavy losses in tanks and vehicles. While possessing vast air and nuclear assets, the quality and readiness of its ground forces are challenged by high casualties, equipment depletion, and ammunition shortages, forcing reliance on Soviet-era stocks and new, complex production.
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko (also transliterated from Belarusian as Alyaksandr Ryhoravich Lukashenka; born 30 August 1954) is a Belarusian politician who has been the first and only president of Belarus since the office's establishment in 1994, making him the current longest-serving European leader.
Tips from the U.S. embassy
The Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to Belarus. The U.S. government cannot provide emergency or routine services to U.S. citizens in Belarus. Border crossings with neighboring countries are restricted and may close without notice.
In spring 2022, it was reported that more than 200 Belarusian citizens have joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine to defend Ukraine from the Russian invasion, with another 300 volunteers from Belarus came through Poland. In July 2023, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that around 450 Belarusians fight for Ukraine.
Considered to be the "last dictatorship in Europe," Belarus lacks the basic freedoms in public and political life and in the market place.
President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Wednesday that allows Belarusian citizens permanently residing in Russia to vote in local elections and run for local office. The law follows amendments signed in March to a 1998 agreement on mutual rights between the two countries.
In the recent Russian polls, the United States and its allies have consistently topped the list of Russia's greatest enemies.
This is our brotherly nation, we have long common history, traditions and close relations with, both political, economic, and humanitarian. — Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, on relations with Serbia (June 2009).
Putin's approval ratings in Russia consistently show high support, with recent polls from 2024-2025 often placing his approval between 70% and over 80%, sometimes reaching nearly 90%, though younger demographics (18-24) show significantly lower support (around 51%) compared to older generations (55+). Polls by Russian agencies like VTsIOM and Levada Center, as well as Western organizations, reflect these high figures, though some analyses question the authenticity due to potential political pressure and censorship.
Today, an estimated 40,000 Jews live in Belarus, united in 43 registered Jewish secular communities under the Union of Belarusian Jewish Organizations and Communities. The country's registered Jewish religious communities include Chabad Lubavitch, Progressive Judaism, and Religious Jewish Congregations.
Besides India, many nations have a significant Muslim population. But there is one country where there is not a single Muslim resident. Vatican City is the world's smallest independent country. Vatican City serves as a religious and cultural hub for the Catholic community.
No countries have left NATO since its founding, although France withdrew from NATO unified command between 1966 and 2009. Since the accession of Sweden on 7 March 2024, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization covers a total area of 27,580,492 km2 (10,648,887 sq mi).
Traditionally, Russia is both our key trade partner and a major export market for Belarusian manufactures. Russia accounts for more than half of the foreign trade of the Republic of Belarus. Belarus and Russia are effectively developing cooperation in such areas as energy, transport and industrial cooperation.
Belarus also supported India at Nuclear Suppliers Group meetings. Similarly, India has supported Belarus for its membership in the NAM and also other international and multilateral fora like IPU.