Belarus's Growing Economic Ties with Russia: What's Really Happening?

Belarus is becoming more tied to Russia's economy. This is happening in many important areas. These include energy, trade, money, investments, and even defense. Trade is a big part of this. Most of Belarus's exports go to Russia. Some also go to other countries. But they use Russian roads, ports, and trains to get there. This means Russia has a lot of control over Belarus's trade. Money is another area where Belarus is relying more on Russia. After some banks in Belarus were punished with sanctions, they started using Russian money systems. Also, half of the money that Belarus's central bank holds is in Russian rubles. When Russia's economy changes, Belarus's money value changes too. Investments are also a concern. Most of the money that comes into Belarus from other countries is from Russia. Belarus owes Russia a lot of money. Russia has even agreed to help Belarus pay this back over seven years. This makes Belarus even more dependent on Russia.The defense industry is another area where Belarus and Russia are working more closely. Since the war in Ukraine started, many Belarusian companies have started making things for Russia's military. This shows how much Belarus is relying on Russia. All of these things together mean that Belarus has less control over its own economy. Russia is making many of the big decisions. This is not good for Belarus's independence. Some people think that Belarus is trying to find new ways to sell its goods. They say that goods go to Russia first. Then, they go to other countries through Turkey. This is another sign of how much Belarus relies on Russia. In the end, it seems like Belarus is becoming more and more like Russia economically. This could have big effects on Belarus's independence and control over its own economy.