Natallia Radzina: Ukraine and Europe Can Defeat Russia

• 27.02.2025, 23:24

Just look at the numbers.

Editor-in-Chief of Charter97.org Natallia Radzina became a guest of the YouTube show by the famous Russian journalist Yevgeny Kiselyov.

The interview began with a discussion of the sensational article of the American newspaper The New York Times. The publication, citing sources, claims that the United States is preparing a deal with Lukashenka on the mass release of political prisoners. Natallia Radzina wonders why Lukashenka stopped releasing prisoners of conscience:

— Before this article, there were still instances of political prisoners being released in Belarus—around 200 out of an estimated 10,000 (though the exact number remains unknown). However, today, the release process has come to a complete halt. For almost two weeks we have not received news about releases from Belarusian prisons.

What kind of deal is this? This was reported by European diplomats. The talks took place during the visit of US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Chris Smith to Minsk. He personally met with Lukashenka and the Belarusian KGB Chair. An American diplomat took one US citizen and two political prisoners in his car to Vilnius — a journalist of Radio Liberty and a resident of Pinsk, who was arrested for participating in the 2020 protests. After that, just silence. Why isn't this deal working?

In 2011, the European Union tried to make a deal with Lukashenka: in exchange for the release of political prisoners, Brussels promised a loan of two billion euros and the normalization of relations. This became known after the leak of information that Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nickolay Mladenov, who visited Minsk, agreed with Lukashenka about this. After this leak, the process of releasing political prisoners stopped, Lukashenka did not release anyone. Perhaps this is the same case and the dictator decided not to fulfill any agreements with the United States.

Maybe it's even easier. Lukashenka looked at the behavior of the US president, at the discussion of lifting sanctions against Russia and decided that sanctions against him would be lifted automatically, without releasing political prisoners. After all, he is afraid to free people. For him, this is a destabilization of the situation in the country.

The Editor-in-Chief of Charter97.org notes that the deal with Lukashenka, when the United States lifts sanctions on Belaruskali in exchange for the release of political prisoners, cannot take place without Europeans:

— This agreement should be followed by the lifting of sanctions on potassium by the EU. After all, how will potassium be delivered to the United States? Via the nearest port in Lithuanian Klaipeda. Will the European Union agree to the lifting of sanctions from the dictatorship, which continues to threaten the Baltic countries? Now the Zapad-2025 exercises are being actively discussed and it is said that this is a serious threat, and an attack on Lithuania, Latvia and Poland is possible from the territory of Belarus. After all, Russian troops will be deployed in Belarus again.

I think that the main topic of this deal is not political prisoners, but an attempt to tear Lukashenka away from Russia, to prevent Putin from using the territory of Belarus for attacks on Ukraine and the Baltic countries. I believe that this is a futile idea. Putin keeps Lukashenko on a tight leash. Such attempts to tear the Belarusian dictator away from Russia always failed.

It is impossible to block the resources that Lukashenka receives from Russia, and today's Belarus, unfortunately, is strongly tied to the Russian Federation by treaties in the military and economic spheres. The West needs to understand that only a free and democratic Belarus with the prospect of joining NATO and the EU can break away from Russia and become a guarantor of security in the region. Games with the dictator will lead to nothing. Confirmation of this is the 30 years of Lukashenka's dictatorship, when he tried to ride on the geopolitical swing, deceiving gullible American and European politicians, while remaining a faithful dog of his Kremlin master.

Natallia Radzina explained why she had not previously commented on The New York Times article:

— I really want the release of political prisoners to take place. That's why I refrained from commenting for two weeks on the supposed deal between the United States and the Lukashenka regime. I expected the arrangements to work and start freeing people. After all, the most important thing for us is to save political prisoners who are being killed in prisons. If they can really tear Lukashenka away from Putin, and this will lead to political changes in Belarus, stop the repression, I will take my hat off to Trump and say that he is the greatest politician. But I see that nothing is happening.

In addition, 30 years of experience suggests that such deals are impossible. Not with Lukashenka, who is Putin's puppet.

The Belarusian journalist told how to tear Belarus away from Russia:

— The best thing that can be done is to destroy the current regime in Russia and block its imperial ambitions for our entire region. It's not that hard to do. I'll give you the numbers. The nominal GDP of the European Union and the United Kingdom is $22 trillion, while that of Russia is only $2 trillion. At the same time, there was news recently that the military budget of the Russian Federation is larger than all the EU countries combined. The Kremlin itself is destroying its economy. And given the fact that the EU will sharply increase military spending, it means that Putin will also increase it, burying himself deeper into the grave.

Therefore, we do not need to discuss cunning options for pulling Belarus, Moldova or Georgia away from Russia, today we need to destroy the empire itself, which threatens not only our countries, but also the whole of Europe. If Trump doesn't understand it, it's his problem. I am convinced that his attempt at a deal with Putin will fail, as negotiations with North Korea failed during the first term of the current American president. What has happened since then? Kim Jong Un continued to develop the nuclear program, began to threaten South Korea even more, and now got involved in Russia's war against Ukraine. In the same way, Trump's deal with Putin will fail. There is no other way but to methodically put pressure on Russia.

Trump has fallen into his own trap. He said that he was able to make a quick peace — it didn't work out in 24 hours, so in 100 days. But he won't succeed, it's obvious. I do not know if you have read what Foreign Minister Lavrov said, who denied all statements that Russia wants to sit down at the negotiating table and come to a consensus. He stated that "it is necessary to demilitarize Ukraine — Europe must stop arming Kyiv", further he says that "it is necessary to free the rest of Ukraine from racist laws". What does it mean? Destruction of the Ukrainian nation and state. He also opposed the deployment of European troops on the demarcation line. What kind of deals can be made with such people?

Natallia Radzina draws attention to the fundamental contradictions that will prevent the United States from making a deal with Putin's Russia:

— Trump is going to increase the supply of oil and liquefied gas to Europe, on the other hand — to lift sanctions against Russia. Naturally, American energy resources will not be able to compete in the market with Russian ones. Because Russian oil and LNG are cheaper than American ones.

Was it an attempt to tear Russia away from China? What is that about? How can you tear the Russian Federation away from the PRC if it is absolutely dependent on it? China accounts for 35% of Russia's total foreign trade turnover. Before the imposition of sanctions, only 4% came from the United States. In addition, the regimes in China and Russia are connected not only economically, but also ideologically.

The Editor-in-Chief of Charter97.org told why you should not pay attention to Trump's loud statements:

— It became clear that this was pure manipulation and his way of negotiating — to discourage people, dumbfounded them, bring them out of a stable state, and then dictate the conditions. I note that 81% of Americans oppose deals with Putin. Various forces in Washington — both Republicans and Democrats — are thinking about how to curb the American president. After all, Trump today is destroying the main doctrine of the United States — the Euro-Atlantic partnership. We see how much criticism there is today in the American press — both liberal and conservative. If Trump does not correct for the wind, he will inevitably come to a catastrophe. I hope he has better advisors than Elon Musk.

It is necessary to keep a cold mind, and Ukraine and Europe should act together against the growing threat from Russia, not to fall into despair.

I believe that Europe can help Ukraine and even replace American assistance. Europe can do it.

The mood in European societies is anti-Russian and, it must be stated, anti-American. Because the policy of the new US president in Europe is not understood and perceived as a betrayal. I think that societies will support European politicians who must develop a strong strategy to fight Putin's Russia.

It will be enough with the troops of France and the United Kingdom, who are ready to send their soldiers to Ukraine as peacekeepers. France has a large number of troops after withdrawal from African countries. They need to be sent somewhere, because this is a serious burden on society. If President Macron retains his leading position in the European Union, French peacekeepers will be deployed in Ukraine.

Natallia Radzina singled out several politicians who have taken leadership positions in Europe today:

— Poland takes a very firm position towards Russia. I was inspired, I will say without exaggeration and flattery, by the speech of Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski at the UN General Assembly. He clearly took the position of Ukraine and stated that Poland will always support it, and also sharply criticized the United States for trying to covert agreements with Putin. This is the position of the entire Polish government, because Radosław Sikorski is a member of the Civic Coalition is a party that is part of the ruling coalition. The President of Poland Andrzej Duda, who belongs to the opposition Law and Justice party, is also principled in matters of Ukraine.

Germany, like France, will be leaders in Europe. The victory of Friedrich Merz inspired everyone. He is an absolutely pro-Ukrainian politician, quite tough and principled. By the way, a former businessman, like Trump. He today says that Germany should pursue an independent policy, get out of dependence on the United States, because under such a president it is difficult to develop the cooperation that has been between the two countries since 1945. I think that Merz will promote the Ukrainian agenda in the EU, he has all the levers to do it.

Europe will cope. Yes, there are problems with Slovakia and Hungary that can block common decisions of the European Union. But I think that the EU reform is long overdue. If these countries sabotage common decisions, “liberum veto” will have to be abandoned, and decisions will have to be made by a simple majority, and not unanimously.