Thread by @bctallis

1/ It’s a start but, as the speed with which it was unanimously agreed shows, it’s not strong enough #belarus #eu nytimes.com/2021/05/24/wor…

2/ @MarkGaleotti has some more creative ideas here - and for being more imaginative and flexible when engaging with actors that violate #EU norms telegraph.co.uk/authors/m/ma-m…

3/ as well as
- clamping down on #belarus KGB activity in #EU states (kick ‘em out)
- providing more meaningful support (financial, technical, practical, organisational) to opposition incl. @Tsihanouskaya
- EU should temporarily suspend #EasternPartnership- less for (much) less

4/ #EU and other Western states should worry less about being accused of interference and of seeking regime change - that’s exactly what we want, for the sake of people in #Belarus & ourselves. Keep the door open for rapprochement but don’t kid ourselves about state of affairs

5/and do everything to minimize negative effects on ordinary people - BUT stop fetishising supposedly liberal norms & institutions that don’t deliver liberal outcomes and are easily co-opted by illiberal regimes (eg #russia to paralyse action against them.

6/ for those who say that this would undermine the credibility of the west (make ‘us’ as bad as #Putin, et al) - nonsense. The intent makes all the difference. We need to focus on liberal outcomes not liberal forms (& the other way doesn’t really seem to be working)

7/ this requires renewed commitment to liberal outcomes within the #EU. Federalizing Foreign & Security Policy (or moving to QMV) isn’t necessary & would actually be damaging. The problem is illiberalism inside EU without fear of sanction - must be dealt with, not sidestepped.

8/ a key point of all of this is to be more imaginative. let go the strait-jacket of rules that only some keep & let go fear of being accused of doing the thing you want to & should be doing. This way we can meaningfully help #Belarus & get a better #EU. /End

@MSimecka @SophieintVeld