Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Perhaps Moscow wants to stop the Banking Tourism by its citizens in order to comply with the sanctions imposed on them.

Of course it will and 300% of the population of Belarus will vote yes rejoin Russia And the Russians will tell us of course it's not unusual for Russians to vote in a (bela) Russian referendum,

And people will come on here to tell us all about legitimate Democracy is what Russia is all about

There's a reason why Russia has been constantly putting back its plans to hold one of their patented referendums in the occupied city of Kherson and it's that the people there wouldn't have it. Russia will have to at least wait until it's (shudder) replaced enough Khersonians with its own before trying such a thing.

Although Russia and Belarus are close, there's no poll I've seen which suggests anything like a majority of Belarusians wish to join Russia, so Russia having Belarus hold a Russian-style referendum with all the trimmings will do nothing but create massive popular unrest when it returns that 300 percent in favour result, and Lukashenko doesn't want to be unseated either. Meanwhile, Russia have significantly less military resources to commit to quelling Belarusian unrest since a huge amount of it is currently getting mullered in Ukraine. There's a reason that tweet is unconfirmed. It's 'cause it ain't happening.

What Russia wants for Ukraine.

The cities levelled, industries destroyed, the people dead and Russian people farming the land.

The rest of the world. Work away so Mr.Putin.

War Fatigue. The match is on.

In another world they'd be hell to pay by Russia. But this one. Nope. "Ah sure we have to go back to business with these people".

It's 1942 all over again and we're looking to do business with the SS.

I'm not entirely sure that the Belarusian police would be able to subdue a protest against the Russian annexation of Belarus. I think Lukashenko has dithered on committing Belarussian troops directly into the Ukrainian conflict because he's afraid of what the people would do if he went for it, so imagine how they'd react if they were suddenly told that they'd be joining Russia wholesale.

Demented...well like calls to like (going on your post(s)). Where has the EU touched you?

Your idea for security of Europe is probably to have the EU fragment (yay!), have each country in Europe run by it's own right wing populist (we already have Orbán for Hungary and Hero of Ukraine Boris Johnson for the UK, just need Le Pen running France, whatever kooky lad heads the AfD running Germany, maybe resurrect Berlusconi for Italy, Mussolini is probably a bit mouldy now!). Who would would be the dream Taoiseach...Justin Barrett perhaps?

I predict Putin would be howling with laughter! If such people have the answers (and part of the solution to European security is breaking up the EU) why do people like Putin/Russia often funnel money to them?

When it comes to Eurosceptic movements, there's usually a Russian money skeleton hanging in a closet somewhere.

@briany Lukashenko has dithered on committing Belarussian troops directly into the Ukrainian conflict because he's afraid of what the people would do if he went for it,.

Remember he's becoming an officer of the Russian military ,the Russian military are already in Belarus ,lukashenko has two options ,one he grows a pair of balls and denounces the invasion of Ukraine and send his military to disarm and detain the Russian military in Belarus or he announces Belarus is now rejoining Russia proper Russia's leader has ordered the rest of it's military into ukraine.

Which option do you think he's going to go with?

Yeah, these aren't the only two options on the table. As @listermint notes below, Lukashenko will be non-committal for as long as he can. He'll offer Putin as much support as he thinks won't incur a huge domestic backlash.

I wouldn't know about Hungarian politics, but the current emergency period (because of Covid) was going to expire on Tuesday, so I guess he's just extending it and giving "Russia" as the reason. Maybe he likes to be a chief-in-crisis?