Belarus is becoming increasingly Russian, but this trajectory was far from inevitable. In its examination of the country’s changing national identity, The Economist cites Balázs Jarábik, drawing on his firsthand experience travelling across Belarus for USAID during the 2010s.
Jarábik recalls Belarusian national identity “flourishing” during that period, offering an important counterpoint to the country's subsequent transformation. The revival of Belarusian culture and identity preceded the repression following the 2020 protests and the deepening dependence on Moscow after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
His observation highlights what is at stake beyond Belarus's geopolitical alignment: the future of a distinct national identity that had been gaining ground before the country's political and strategic options narrowed dramatically.
Read the article in full https://www.economist.com/interactive/europe/2026/10/09/belarus-is-becoming-increasingly-russian