Ukraine recalls its ambassador from Minsk amid Belarus unrest
A look back at the diplomatic step Kyiv took on 17 August 2020, as protests continued in Belarus after its presidential election.
What did Kyiv do as the crisis in neighbouring Belarus deepened? On 17 August 2020, Ukraine recalled its ambassador to Belarus. The aim was to assess what was described as "the new reality" and the prospects for further relations between the two neighbouring countries.
The move followed the 2020 Belarusian presidential election and the protests that came after it.
The days before
On 15 August 2020, Alexander Lukashenko issued an appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he no longer considered the protests a threat to Belarus alone. Statements from both sides contained a pointed reference to the Union State between the two countries. Opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was in exile in Lithuania, called the same day for more protests.
On 16 August 2020, Lukashenko addressed supporters in Independence Square in Minsk. He claimed that Belarus would "die as a state" if new elections were held, and accused NATO of "massing on the border". Opposition critics said most of those at the rally had been coerced into attending and bussed in from other parts of the country.
A regional backdrop
Elsewhere in the region, on 15 August 2020, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak signed an agreement in Warsaw. It provided for redeploying about 1,000 U.S. troops from Germany to Poland, bringing the total there to 5,500, with a potential increase to 20,000 if Poland were under threat.
Against this background, the recall of the ambassador on 17 August 2020 was Ukraine's step to reassess its ties with Minsk.
