Big Ideas Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya fights for a free Belarus − and what are Russia's strategies in Southeast Asia?
Feb 24, 2026
Dr Ian Storey, a Southeast Asia foreign relations scholar and author on Russia’s regional policy. He discusses how Southeast Asian states responded differently to the Ukraine war. He explains Russia’s limited but persistent influence, public perceptions of Moscow in the region, and the strategic constraints shaping Russia’s pivot to Asia.
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Belarus As The Geopolitical Gateway To Europe
- Belarus's geography and regime choice make it central to Europe's security and to Russia's war against Ukraine.
- Without Belarus's cooperation, Ian argues the Russian invasion might not have happened and the Kremlin views neighbours as disobedient children.
How A Wife Became Belarus's Opposition Leader
- Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya entered politics to support her jailed husband and unexpectedly united the democratic opposition in 2020.
- She traveled across Belarus, rallied millions in the first-round victory, and faced brutal regime repression that pushed her into exile.
How To Maintain Political Leadership In Exile
- Build robust exile institutions and infrastructure to sustain a democratic movement under repression.
- Tsikhanouskaya's team runs media from Vilnius, students study in Warsaw, ministers work from Brussels and Kyiv, and parliament meets on Zoom.
