Belarus–Ukraine relations

Belarus and Ukraine both are full members of the Baku Initiative and Central European Initiative. In 2020, during the Belarusian protests against president Lukashenko, the relationship between Ukraine and Belarus began to deteriorate, after the Ukrainian government criticized Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. In the waning days of 2021, the relationship between both countries rapidly deteriorated, culminating in a full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. Belarus has allowed the stationing of Russian troops and equipment in its territory and its use as a springboard for offensives into northern Ukraine but has denied the presence of Belarusian troops in Ukraine. Even though part of the Russian invasion was launched from Belarus, Ukraine did not break off diplomatic relations with Belarus (unlike with Russia), but remain frozen. In July 2024, Lukashenko described Ukraine as an enemy.

Historical relations

=Pre-1991 background=

File:Lukashenko and Zelenskyi (Oct 2019).jpg and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Zhytomyr on October 4, 2019]]

Both countries, each historically part of Kievan Rus' (9th to 13th centuries CE), came gradually under the control of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569-1795), and ultimately, of the Russian Empire (1721-1917). The Second Polish Republic ruled parts of each in the period from 1918 to 1939. Prior to the 1991 breakup, both countries formed part of the Soviet Union (founded in 1922) as the Byelorussian SSR (founded in 1920) and Ukrainian SSR (founded in 1919); they both became founding members of the United Nations in their own right in 1945. As Slavic nations, both Belarus and Ukraine share closely related cultures and are predominantly inhabited by the East Slavic ethnic groups of Belarusians and Ukrainians respectively.

There was an extensive period of diplomatic cooperation from 1918 to 1921 when the Belarusian Democratic Republic made contacts with the Ukrainian People's Republic (UNR) and the Ukrainian State of Pavlo Skoropadsky. Skoropadsky's government made the largest overtures to the Belarusians, with him himself informally recognizing the Belarusian DR as de facto independent in October–November 1918, although de jure recognition did not materialize. The UNR, although hesitant in the beginning, ultimately attempted to follow this route in international relations after Skoropadsky's fall. During this period, although without formal recognition, both countries established diplomatic ties in May 1918, exchanged diplomatic missions, the Ukrainians provided financial assistance to the Belarusian government and there were ideas of a federated defensive alliance between Ukraine and Belarus.{{Cite journal |last=Міхалюк |first=Д. |date=2017 |title=Дипломатичні архіви Білоруської Народної Республіки 1918–1921 років як джерело вивчення білорусько-польських та білорусько-українських відносин / Д. Міхалюк |journal=Спеціальні історичні дисципліни: питання теорії та методики |language=uk |pages=33}}

Modern era

Today, the two countries share an 891–km border. An agreement on the state border between Belarus and Ukraine signed in 1997 was to be submitted to the Belarusian parliament for ratification after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko finished the process of the formalization of the border issues between the two states in early November 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/23910/|title=Belarus to ratify border agreement with Ukraine|work=Interfax-Ukraine|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091108085335/http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/23910/|archivedate=November 8, 2009|date=November 5, 2009|url-status=dead}}

Belarusian businessman {{ill|Valentin Baiko|be|Валянцін Валянцінавіч Байко}} is the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Belarus.{{cite web|title=Diplomatic Handbook|url=https://mfa.gov.by/kcfinder/upload/files/SGP/24.04.04_handbook.pdf|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus|date=2024|accessdate=May 31, 2024}}[https://afn.by/news/i/307424 Беларусь вошла в двадцатку стран по числу почетных консулов]

=Breakdowns in relations=

{{see also|Belarusian involvement in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine}}

In August 2020, during the Belarusian protests against Lukashenko, Ukraine recalled its ambassador to Belarus for the first time to assess "the new reality" and prospects of further bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries.{{Cite news|date=2020-08-17|title=Ukraine recalls its ambassador to Belarus|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://in.reuters.com/article/belarus-election-ukraine-idINKCN25D1PU|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819021019/https://in.reuters.com/article/belarus-election-ukraine-idINKCN25D1PU|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 19, 2020|access-date=2020-08-21}} Belarus returned detained contractors (whom Lukashenko said were part of the Wagner Group) to Russia,{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-belarus-election-russia/belarus-hands-over-alleged-mercenaries-to-russia-russian-prosecutor-idUSKCN25A2ES|title=Belarus hands over alleged mercenaries to Russia: Russian prosecutor|work=Reuters|date=14 August 2020|access-date=1 March 2022}} coming in defiance of Ukrainian calls to send those who were detained to Ukraine to be prosecuted for their role in the War in Donbas. In a meeting with member of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada Yevgeniy Shevchenko in April 2021, Lukashenko criticized former Ukrainian president Leonid Kravchuk for suggesting that Minsk be removed as a host in the Normandy Format as a result of the protests.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-20|title=Lukashenko: I have always had good relations with all Ukrainian presidents|url=https://eng.belta.by/president/view/lukashenko-i-have-always-had-good-relations-with-all-ukrainian-presidents-139229-2021/|access-date=2021-04-24|website=eng.belta.by|language=en-EN|archive-date=2021-04-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424000819/https://eng.belta.by/president/view/lukashenko-i-have-always-had-good-relations-with-all-ukrainian-presidents-139229-2021/|url-status=dead}}

In response to the forced diversion of Ryanair Flight 4978 by the Belarusian government in May 2021, Ukraine banned Belarusian airlines from operating in Ukrainian airspace.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/ukraine-will-ban-belarus-airlines-from-using-its-airspace-from-may-29-2021-05-28|title = Ukraine will ban Belarus airlines from using its airspace from May 29|work=Nasdaq|first=Pavel|last=Polityuk|date=28 May 2021|access-date=1 March 2022}} In addition, Ukraine joined the European Union in imposing sanctions on Belarusian officials.{{cite web|url=https://www.kyivpost.com/eastern-europe/ukraine-joins-eu-sanctions-against-belarus-as-eu-plans-more-sanctions.html|title=Ukraine joins EU sanctions against Belarusian officials|work=Kyiv Post|first=Bermet|last=Talant|date=20 November 2020|access-date=1 March 2022}} In response to Ukraine, Belarus imposed new trade barriers on a variety of Ukrainian goods entering Belarus.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-says-belarus-has-imposed-trade-barriers-plane-row-2021-05-28/|title = Ukraine says Belarus has imposed trade barriers in plane row|website = Reuters|date = 28 May 2021}}

File:Letter from S. V. Deineko to A. P. Lappo 26.02.2022.jpg S. V. Deyneko to State Border Committee of Belarus A. P. Lappo, 26.02.2022]]

In February 2022, Russian troops invaded Ukraine from Belarus.{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-23-22#h_d115a65e9b6348752422ad427fa83b95|title=Troops and military vehicles have entered Ukraine from Belarus|work=CNN|first=Paul|last=Murphy|date=24 February 2022|access-date=1 March 2022}} Belarus has also stated that Russian nuclear weapons will be on Belarusian soil.{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/belarus-host-russian-nukes-major-reversal-post-soviet-order-1683072|title=Belarus to Host Russian Nukes in Major Reversal of Post-Soviet Order|work=Newsweek|first=Scott|last=McDonald|date=27 February 2022|access-date=1 March 2022}} In June 2023, Lukashenko claimed that “the only mistake we made was not finishing off Ukraine with Russia in 2014”.{{cite web |title=Belarus’ Lukashenko: ‘The only mistake we made’ was not finishing off Ukraine with Russia in 2014 |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/belarus-alexander-lukashenko-mistake-not-invade-ukraine-russia-2014-vladimir-putin/ |website=Politico.eu |access-date=3 July 2024 |date=2 June 2023}} In July 2024, Lukashenko called Ukraine an "enemy" and narrated that the Belarusian troops have a "high combat readiness" near Belarus–Ukraine border.{{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Sinéad |title=Belarus is building up its military on Ukraine's border and bragging about the 'high combat readiness' of its troops |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/belarus-says-boosting-military-on-ukraine-border-calls-it-enemy-2024-7 |website=Business Insider |access-date=3 July 2024}} On 10 August 2024, Belarus' Foreign Ministry called upon Ukraine's charge d'affaires, urging Kyiv to address airspace violations following President Alexander Lukashenko's claim that Belarus had destroyed a dozen Ukrainian drones in its airspace. The ministry warned that if Ukraine failed to prevent such incidents, it would question the "appropriateness" of maintaining Ukraine's diplomatic representation in Minsk.{{cite news|title=Belarus demands Ukraine act against new airspace violations |date=10 August 2024 |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/belarus-demands-measures-ukraine-against-new-airspace-violations-2024-08-10/ |website=Reuters |access-date=14 August 2024}}

Diplomatic visits

From Ukraine to Belarus
Petro Poroshenko (Minsk, 2014){{Cite web|title=Ukraine keen on further dialogue with EU, Eurasian Troika – Poroshenko|url=https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/220033.html|access-date=2020-09-05|website=Interfax-Ukraine|language=en}}
Petro Poroshenko (Minsk, 2015){{Cite web|last=Miller|first=Christopher|title=What's at stake as Putin, Poroshenko meet in Minsk to talk peace|url=https://mashable.com/2015/02/11/putin-poroshenko-ukraine-peace-talks/|access-date=2020-09-05|website=Mashable|date=11 February 2015|language=en}}
Petro Poroshenko (Gomel, 2018){{Cite web|title=The First Forum of Regions of Belarus and Ukraine in Gomel {{!}} BelCCI|url=https://www.cci.by/en/content/first-forum-regions-belarus-and-ukraine-gomel|access-date=2020-09-05|website=www.cci.by}}{{Dead link|date=March 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
From Belarus to Ukraine
Alexander Lukashenko{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev also took part in the celebrations.|url=http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/32032|access-date=|website=}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=On October 27 the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko together with presidents of Ukraine, Russia and Azerbaijan placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the memorial complex "Park of Glory" in Kiev.|url=http://mfa.gov.by/en/press/news_mfa/afce7f66183638f8.html|access-date=|website=}} (Kyiv, 2004)
Alexander Lukashenko (Kyiv, 2009)
Alexander Lukashenko (Kyiv, 2017)
Alexander Lukashenko (Zhytomyr, 2019)

Resident diplomatic missions

Belarus has an embassy in Kyiv.[http://ukraine.mfa.gov.by/ Embassy of Belarus in Kyiv]
Ukraine has an embassy in Minsk and a consulate-general in Brest.{{Cite web |url=https://belarus.mfa.gov.ua/ua |title=Embassy of Ukraine in Minsk |access-date=2019-11-09 |archive-date=2019-07-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715140935/https://belarus.mfa.gov.ua/ua |url-status=dead }}

File:Embassy of Belarus in Kyiv.jpeg|Embassy of Belarus in Kyiv

File:Ukrainian embassy Minsk.JPG|Embassy of Ukraine in Minsk

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20150127040414/http://belembassy.org.ua/ Belarusian embassy in Kyiv (Ukrainian-language link)]
[http://ukraine.mfa.gov.by/ru/embassy/ Belarusian embassy in Kyiv (Russian-language link)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212021038/http://ukraine.mfa.gov.by/ru/embassy/|date=2017-12-12}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20080828114236/http://www.belarus.mfa.gov.ua/ Ukrainian embassy in Minsk (in Russian and Ukrainian only)]
[https://belarusdigest.com/story/belarus-and-ukraine-cooperate-in-the-face-of-russian-pressure/ Belarus and Ukraine cooperate in the face of Russian pressure] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203045837/https://belarusdigest.com/story/belarus-and-ukraine-cooperate-in-the-face-of-russian-pressure/ |date=2022-02-03 }} Belarus Digest

Ukraine

Category:Bilateral relations of Ukraine