Digital diplomacy of Belarus: Сurrent trends and new opportunities within the Union State

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the development of the digital diplomacy of the Republic of Belarus, its tasks, content and specific features, focusing on cooperation with Russia within the framework of the Union State. The author examines the transition of Belarusian diplomacy to digital technologies, starting from the end of the 2000s, when social networks began to be widely used by Belarusian citizens. The evolution of the use of digital platforms is covered, starting with the first accounts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Twitter and YouTube, to the transition to a more systematic and regular nature of publications in social networks in the 2010s. Special attention is paid to the period after 2020, when due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased geopolitical tensions, the changes in practice of digital diplomacy of Belarus have undergone. A conclusion was made that the events of the early 2020s have stimulated the development of its own model of digital diplomacy, focusing on Russian and Chinese practice. The author has outlined the peculiarities of the Belarusian digital diplomacy which, unlike the Russian one, actively uses Western social networks to convey its official position.The article also touches on the prospects for the development of digital diplomacy in the context of the Union State, emphasizes the importance of joint efforts of Belarus and Russia in using digital platforms to strengthen the foreign policy positions of both states in the international arena. It is shown that the possibilities of digital diplomacy can be used to defend the joint position of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation on the European security system transformation, including its military-political, energy, social and humanitarian aspects. The author emphasizes the constant evolution of the concept of digital diplomacy and the need to adapt to changing conditions in the modern world.