In May, Belarusian state propaganda actively promoted the idea of peaceful negotiations between Russia and Ukraine – with Belarus either participating or hosting the talks. Trump continues to be portrayed in Belarusian rhetoric as a strong leader who “three years later essentially echoed Lukashenka’s words about the causes of the war”.
The topic of the month was May 9. Lukashenka’s supporters used Victory Day to promote the idea of bringing Ukraine back into the so-called “Slavic brotherhood”.
At the same time, rhetoric about a military threat from Poland and the Baltic states intensified. Details – in the monthly ISANS propaganda review.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Belarus
- May marked the main “patriotic” holiday – May 9. Propaganda always makes the most of this date to play on the nostalgic feelings for the Soviet past that remain in society and to issue new threats against the West.
- In his Victory Day speeches, Lukashenka repeated the Kremlin narrative: the “special military operation” in Ukraine is a “continuation of the fight against Nazism.”
- The propaganda uses Victory Day as another opportunity to flatter and thank Lukashenka, emphasizing his image as a “strong president” who maintains peace and stability in Belarus.
- In relations with Russia, propagandists extol the eternal friendship and strong alliance between the two countries. Lukashenka himself does not forget to gently hint that Belarus is against becoming part of Russia and that it is better to remain close but independent neighbors.
Belarus’s democratic forces
- Supporters of democratic transition remain the main target of Lukashenka’s propaganda. Its efforts are aimed at discrediting both the movement itself and its individual representatives.
- TV propagandists are trying to intimidate dissidents who have left Belarus with stories about the “inevitability of punishment.” One of these reports, full of threats against political emigrants, was broadcast in May on the state-run First Information Channel.
Ukraine
- Propagandists continue to use the narrative of the “Slavic brotherhood” of three peoples to justify aggression against Ukraine and at the same time to call for peace talks.
- They believe that Belarus should become a moderator or, at the very least, a neutral platform for negotiations. Lukashenka and the channels he controls constantly repeat the need to establish peace between Russia and Ukraine.
- Also, based on the myth of “Slavic brotherhood,” it is claimed that Belarus will be the one to rebuild post-war Ukraine.
- Despite the generally positive tone toward Donald Trump’s flirtation with Moscow for the sake of peace, skepticism is growing among propagandists about the effectiveness of his actions. Some predict an “inevitable turnaround” by the U.S. president in the opposite direction from Moscow.
- Commenting on the “minerals deal” between the U.S. and Ukraine, pro-government commentators emphasize that Volodymyr Zelenskyy allegedly “neglected” the interests of the country and “sold” (or “gave away”) Ukraine to Trump.
The West
- The hostile tone towards the West in state media remained in May. The flow of criticism and threats against Western countries intensified particularly on the eve of Victory Day on May 9.
- “President” Lukashenka traditionally frightened the population under his control with “threats from the West” and the fact that humanity is “facing a terrible threat of resurgent European fascism.”
- In mid- and late May, Belarusian propaganda focused on the presidential election in Poland. State commentators were tasked with discrediting the election and the entire electoral process in general in the eyes of voters.
You can read or download the whole monitoring of propaganda in RB for May 2025 at this link.
Материал доступен на русском языке: «Российские воины в Украине воюют против нацизма». Основные нарративы беларусской пропаганды в мае 2025
