Myanmar Junta Chief Arrives in Belarus After Russia Visit

Myanmar Junta Chief Arrives in Belarus After Russia Visit

The head of Myanmar's military junta, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, arrived in Belarus yesterday for a two-day state visit. The visit aims to strengthen support for his military administration, which has been sanctioned and isolated by the West.

Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Minsk from St. Petersburg, where he was welcomed by Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhenkov. During his visit, he is set to hold discussions with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. According to a statement, the two leaders will discuss trade, economic cooperation, humanitarian issues, and future collaborations in industries like agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and science. They are also expected to sign several bilateral agreements.

The visit was prominently featured in Myanmar's state-run Global New Light of Myanmar, which referred to the trip as a "high-level goodwill delegation." Min Aung Hlaing's last visit to Belarus was in 2014, when he met Lukashenko during his time as Myanmar’s army chief.

This Belarus visit follows Min Aung Hlaing’s four-day state visit to Russia, which included his first official meeting with President Vladimir Putin. During their meeting, Min Aung Hlaing expressed gratitude for Russia’s diplomatic and military support, particularly in the context of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. In return, Putin reaffirmed Russia’s close ties with Myanmar, emphasizing the strong “bonds of friendship, traditions of support, and mutual assistance” between the two nations.

While the specific outcomes of the Belarus visit remain less clear, the visit is significant as it reflects Min Aung Hlaing’s efforts to counter his regime’s isolation by cultivating ties with nations that share skepticism toward Western powers. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, is one of the few countries actively supporting Myanmar's military-backed administration. It was the only country to oppose a 2021 United Nations General Assembly resolution that called for preventing the flow of arms to Myanmar.

Belarus has also been a major supplier of military arms to Myanmar. In 2022, the advocacy group Justice for Myanmar highlighted past arms sales, including surface-to-air missiles and combat helicopters, which have contributed to Myanmar’s ongoing conflict. The U.S. government imposed sanctions in 2022 on Myanmar individuals and entities linked to the procurement of military arms from Belarus.

In addition to defense relations, Myanmar and Belarus are working to enhance their trade and investment links. A Belarusian business delegation visited Myanmar in January to discuss potential investments, including in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone in Yangon. Another business forum was held yesterday in Minsk, showcasing efforts to deepen economic collaboration.

Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko expressed strong interest in advancing the trade and economic relations between the two countries, noting that Belarus’s strengths in machine-building and agriculture could benefit Myanmar.

This developing relationship between Myanmar and Belarus signifies the ongoing efforts by Myanmar's junta to forge international alliances amid increasing isolation from the West.