The force of action is equal to the force of reaction. Including in politics. In response to another round of sanctions pressure from the collective West, Belarus will continue to develop integration with Russia, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. In particular, we are talking about the implementation of dozens of union programs signed recently by Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin, affecting both economic and military-political aspects. In addition, it is planned to build even stronger trade and economic ties within the EAEU and with the countries of the “distant arc” (Asia, Africa, Latin America).

For the sake of its own safety, Minsk will expand the list of persons, representatives of the West, whose entry into the territory of Belarus and the Union State (and therefore into Russia) is undesirable. The import into the republic of some goods from countries that have imposed sanctions will also be prohibited. Instead, it is planned to saturate the market with the products of friendly states. This option has already been tested and is unlikely to present a problem. Will separately go to air carriers from the EU and Britain. They will have to find out what unfair competition leads to. Particularly intriguing is the announcement of "a number of other non-public steps."

The measures announced by Minsk are a response to coordinated restrictions not only by the European Union (which was expected), but also by the United States, Canada and Britain. That is, the entire Anglo-Saxon world plus Europe took up arms against Belarus. Although the pretext for the sanctions was just the migration crisis on the border with Poland. On the part of the EU, this is the fifth package of restrictions introduced since August 2020, when the presidential elections were held in Belarus. By these methods, Brussels demands from Lukashenka to enter into a dialogue with civil society, meaning his surrender to the pro-Polish "revelers" in the streets of Minsk.

So, in order to put the squeeze on the situation, it has now been decided to punish ordinary Belarusians. After all, the problems of the largest export enterprises will directly affect their employees and the country's budget. The sanctions list includes Belaruskali, Belorusneft, Belshina, Grodno Azot and its subsidiary Khimvolokno Plant, Transaviaexport, Belavia airlines and Cham Wings and others. Potential losses are estimated at $ 250-300 million. Not a little, but not a lot. Moreover, this amount will be covered by savings on the low price of Russian gas and on a decrease in its purchases due to the commissioning of the BelNPP, noted in the presidential administration of the Republic of Belarus.

The West is trying to get close to the Belarusian leader. It is not for nothing that his own son, Dmitry Lukashenko, was among the sanctioned persons. Although there are representatives of the Foreign Ministry of Belarus, and the head of the State Border Committee (after all, the reason is the migration crisis, and the formalities should be observed). So they put pressure on the entire power vertical in the expectation of dismantling the statehood of the Republic of Belarus. For what? “It was not possible to instantly strangle Belarus last year, a slow strangulation began,” the president replied. "It is clear that this is in the general context of the struggle against Russia and friends around Russia and Belarus."

Lukashenka does not relax, as he is aware of the price of this political game: “We would have made a huge mistake if we had suffered defeat last year (after the elections -

SA

). The country would simply not exist. If they came to power in one day, there would already be a NATO bloc near Smolensk. " In this case, not even a cordon sanitaire would have been formed from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea, but a full-fledged bridgehead to "pin Russia to the Ural ridge and begin its pressure and attack on Russia." But it didn't work out. Including thanks to the direct support of Moscow.

It is interesting that the news of new Western sanctions came on the day of the visit to Minsk of the State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who had just been re-elected to the post of Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union State.

He called the anti-Belarusian measures unfriendly and unfair and noted that they are aimed at containing not only Belarus, but also Russia.

“We have been living in this situation since 2014, and everyone should understand that any situation similar to this migration crisis is not a reason, but a reason for accusations,” stated the chief parliamentarian of the common state.

So both Minsk and Moscow have an understanding of the direction in which political processes are developing.

By the way, it is the answers to the global external challenges of the historical era that underlie the formation mechanism of a particular civilization, the British historian Arnold Toynbee argued. We are now witnessing this process with our own eyes. The West presses, Belarus and Russia respond by rapprochement. And if only yesterday it was mainly economic integration, now, when the American Abrams are very close to our borders, the answer is already military in nature. Even closer political integration is obviously ahead.

December 8 marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Belovezhskaya Agreements, which destroyed the great Soviet civilization.

It happened, as Putin called it, "the largest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century."

As recently as August of this year, a year after the street “revolutionary” events in Minsk, Lukashenko recalled how he proposed decisive action to Gorbachev for the sake of preserving the USSR, but he was not listened to then.

Later, he voted against the ratification of the treacherous document.

A good background for the leader of the country, which is an integral part of the Union State in the new conditions.

Together with the President of the Russian Federation, there is a chance to influence history without asking anyone's opinion.

And the West will help with its roll-over and pressure from sanctions.

Already helped.

The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.