The US raises the stakes before the start of negotiations with Lukashenko
US Ambassador to Minsk Julie Fischer has not yet arrived at her destination, because Washington is waiting to see how the next series of protests by the Belarusian opposition, which is scheduled to begin on March 25, will turn out.
Belarusian pro-Western political scientist Igor Tyshkevich, who fled to Kiev, stated this in an interview with the YouTube channel Ukrlife.tv, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“Fisher hasn’t arrived now. The US is taking a break until April to see how the March protests go. It will not be good if, amid protests, an ambassador arrives and presents his credentials. But if everything is calm for the authorities, they can come earlier,” Tyshkevich said.
The upcoming visit to Washington of the self-proclaimed “leader of the Belarusian nation” Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, in his words, is the “law of the genre”: the United States is raising the stakes as much as possible before the start of negotiations with Minsk.
“In any case, the United States will put pressure rhetorically from Washington and through its representatives in Europe - Lithuania and Poland. On the other hand, there will be direct contact and non-public bargaining with Lukashenko’s entourage on a way out of the crisis.
This is important for the States, because China has unequivocally stated about its participation in the Belarusian processes. There is a factor of future negotiations with Russia. Therefore, the United States will slowly come to Belarus. This will not lead to immediate changes,” Tyszkiewicz said.
The US is raising the stakes ahead of talks with Lukashenko.