If Belarus joins Russia

[BlueLucy]

Is there anything we can do? Are we just going to let it go? So Russia can get help from another country but Ukraine can't? Is there anything USA can do?

[Wingus Dingus]

1. Sanctions, cut off banking, embargo.

And hope the people of Belarus figure out what's up.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Maybe No Fly Zone only around Belarus.

[walkingman]

3. According to the talking heads - Belarus is not a stable country to begin with so if they become

involved it would be bad for Ukraine but also bad for Russia. Even if Russia prevails what benefit will it be for Russia to have two countries that are torn up, in chaos, will forever have an in insurgency? For all of our sakes NATO has to stop Russia in some way or another. The alternative is unthinkable.

[BlueLucy]

7. Yes. I agree.

We are already at WW3. The way Russia is fighting this war is intolerable.

[Ray Bruns]

4. How about giving the damn planes from Poland.

[dumbcat]

6. Why doesn't Poland give them

the damned planes? They're right next door.

[Jerry2144]

10. Right. Poland can just say,

“Pssst, Ukraine, we have these MIGs on the runway, all fueled up and armed. Keys are under the floor mat. It would be a shame if someone were to steal them.”

[uponit7771]

16. Hmmm, got a feeling those "damn planes" are on the way already. Can't believe NATO can't

... figure this out when it comes to delivery.

[mitch96]

18. three little letters....CIA... betcha...nt

[relayerbob]

5. Belarus' army is tiny

Assuming any of them would fight, it would be close to an insignificant impact

[brush]

8. Isn't Belarus already in on Russia's side? They allowed the...

Russian troop build-up on their border with Ukraine. And didn't some Russian troops enter Ukraine from Belarus?

[maxsolomon]

13. Yes, they were used as a staging ground for Rusher's invasion down the west side

of the Dneiper River (past Chernobyl) to cut of Kyiv from Western Ukraine.

If you care to look on Google, there is a military base directly south of Brest that is clearly a place that tanks practice. A big scar on the landscape close to the Polish border.

[Joinfortmill]

9. My thoughts, too.

The threat of nuclear weapons hangs heavy over U.S. and Nato decisions. And that leaves what? Getting the facts to the Russian people? That might help somewhat to encourage protests, but they would need to be on a massive scale and many Russians don't even believe their own family members who are living in Ukraine. China could possibly have some influence, but that's iffy. I guess that leaves a coup de etat. I'm praying for one. The sooner this maniac is dead, the better.

[rso]

11. Belarus

The Belarus military is even worse and less-motivated than the Russians. If they intervene, it will mean more captured military equipment that the Ukrainians can use.

[maxsolomon]

12. At 1st, I thought you meant "if Rusher annexes Belarus".

Which I think is coming down the pike, regardless. Lukashenko only retained power during those protests because Putin backed him, like the Junta in Kazakhstan. It's essentially a vassal state with a restive populace.

Belarus already facilitated Rusher's invasion. If they send their Cannon Fodder into the war, then sanction them to the level Russia is sanctioned: cut them off from the SWIFT system, etc. The US/EU/NATO won't "let it go".

Any non-NATO country is free to help Ukraine. Finland could send troops. The Swedes could send aircraft.

[Martin68]

14. If Belarus joins Russia they will immediately be subject to all the sanctions already imposed on

Russia. It would be an incredibly stupid move given the current value of the ruble and the Russian stock market...

[Gore1FL]

15. I suspect getting "help" from Belarus will set the Russians back further.

I think Belarus will erupt. Any troops they manage to get into Ukraine will simply join the the unsupplied gaggle of foreign invaders already in the country.

While I would prefer this not widen, I do believe this is going to backfire on the supporters of the Russian invasion.

[redwitch]

17. If Belarus joins Russia to harm Ukraine I think it will go badly for Lukashenko.

He can fall first and Putin can follow.

[AntiFascist]

19. Maybe NATO should consider attacking Belarus' military targets if Belarus gets involved...

after all, Belarus is not Russia, so it would not be a direct confrontation with Russia.

Having said that, Belarus is part of the 'Union State of Russian and Belarus', where:

the military doctrine of the Russian Federation provides that "an armed attack on the state-participant in the Union State, as well as all other actions involving the use of military force against it," should be deemed "an act of aggression against the Union State", authorizing Moscow to "take measures in response"

https://web.archive.org/web/20160108110022/http://windowonheartland.blogspot.com/2012/01/union-state-of-russia-and-belarus.html