Relationship dossier
Belarus
France
Relationship assessment
Belarus–France relations are strained by sanctions, political repression and the downgrade of diplomatic ties.
Belarus toward France
-40Belarus required the French ambassador to leave the country in 2021 amid broader disputes with France and the European Union over sanctions and Belarus’s post-election repression. Belarus’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine has further worsened its relations with France.
France toward Belarus
-40France has supported EU sanctions against Belarus in response to the 2020 election, repression and other actions by the Belarusian government. French policy has also opposed Belarus’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Overall relationship
-40The relationship is shaped chiefly by sustained political confrontation: France has backed EU sanctions against Belarus, while Belarus’s treatment of the French ambassador demonstrated a sharp diplomatic rupture. Belarus’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine reinforces this adversarial structure; the extent of any countervailing bilateral cooperation is unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Relations have been substantially strained by Belarus’s response to French and wider European criticism of the 2020 election and subsequent repression, and by France’s support for EU sanctions against Belarus. Belarus required the French ambassador to leave in 2021, reflecting a marked diplomatic deterioration. Belarus’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine has added to France’s opposition to Belarusian government policy.
Areas of tension
- EU sanctions on Belarus and French support for them
- Belarus’s post-2020 election repression and France’s criticism
- Belarus’s requirement that the French ambassador leave in 2021
- Belarus’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine
Key developments
Belarus required the French ambassador to leave the country amid worsening disputes with France and the European Union.
France supported EU sanctions against Belarus in response to the 2020 election and subsequent government actions.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of any continuing direct bilateral contacts is unclear.
- The practical effects of sanctions on bilateral government cooperation are unclear.