NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte sharply criticised Belarus for its role in supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, telling reporters that Belarus is enabling Russia at the expense of its own population.
Speaking at the defence ministers meeting in Brussels, Rutte outlined how Belarus has provided infrastructure and territorial support to Russia, further entrenching itself in the conflict.
Addressing the assembled reporters, Rutte was clear that Belarus’ actions are not only detrimental to Ukraine but are also harming the Belarusian people.
“All evidence is that Belarus, that Minsk, is supporting Russia in the war effort with infrastructure, with territory and at a cost to your population,” Rutte said.
Position of Weakness
Rutte also made clear that Belarus is not acting from a position of strength. He explained that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s alignment with Moscow is weakening the country, as it continues to provide crucial support to Russia’s military operations in Ukraine.
“Belarus clearly is not doing this from a position of strength, and that means that it is hurting the country. It is not helping you and it is supporting Putin in the war effort against Ukraine,” Rutte told reporters.
Rutte expressed hope that Belarus might reconsider its role in the conflict, but acknowledged that any change would have to come from within Belarus and its political leadership. Until then, Belarus remains an enabler of Russia’s aggression, much to the detriment of its own national interests.
Belarus’ assistance to Russia in the form of logistics and infrastructure has added another layer of complexity to the conflict, with its actions affecting not only the outcome of the war but also regional stability.
Rutte’s remarks suggest that NATO remains deeply concerned about the broader implications of Belarus’ support for Russia, as it prolongs the conflict and amplifies human suffering across the region.
“This has got to stop,” Rutte concluded, highlighting that it is ultimately up to the Belarusian people and government to make that decision.
The country is between a rock and a hard place, and Lukashenko is only in power because he is pro-Russian. Unless Rutte is offering to extend even better NATO protection to Belarus than it’s currently supplying to Ukraine, his criticisms are pointless.