What China-Belarus Deals Mean for Ukraine

Eyes have been on Beijing this week as President Xi Jinping of China hosted Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko to lay the foundations for a partnership that could have far-reaching implications for the Eurasian region, including most immediately in Ukraine. Minsk finds itself deep in Moscow’s sphere of influence and has suffered at the hands of Western sanctions for supporting Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine, now in its 13th month. Lukashenko, shunned by major capitals because of his allegiance to Russian President Vladimir Putin, may now have a meaningful hedge against the Kremlin in the form of Beijing. The Belarusian leader…