Relationship dossier
Belarus
Norway
Relationship assessment
Political disputes and sanctions have strained Belarus–Norway relations.
Belarus toward Norway
-35The Belarusian government has included Norway among countries it regards as taking unfriendly actions, amid disputes over sanctions and Belarus’s domestic political crackdown.
Norway toward Belarus
-50Norway has aligned with restrictive measures against Belarus in response to the disputed 2020 presidential election and subsequent repression, contributing to sustained political pressure on the Belarusian government.
Overall relationship
-45The relationship is shaped chiefly by disagreement over Belarus’s political conduct and by reciprocal measures associated with sanctions. These tensions have constrained the bilateral relationship, although the scale of direct bilateral engagement and countermeasures is uncertain.
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 marked by a sustained political divide, particularly over Belarus’s 2020 presidential election and subsequent repression. Norway has joined restrictive measures against Belarus, while the Belarusian government has treated Norway among countries taking unfriendly actions. These measures have outweighed the limited scope of practical bilateral engagement.
Areas of tension
- Belarus’s 2020 presidential election and its aftermath
- Repression of political opposition and civil society
- Norwegian participation in restrictive measures against Belarus
- Belarusian countermeasures toward countries it considers unfriendly
Key developments
Norway aligned with restrictive measures against Belarus following the disputed 2020 presidential election and repression.
Belarus included Norway among countries it regarded as taking unfriendly actions.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of Belarusian countermeasures affecting Norway are unclear.
- Details of Norway’s bilateral support for Belarusian civil society are limited.