Pavel Slunkin
@pavelslunkin.bsky.social
Political analyst, ECFR. Former diplomat. Currently at Harvard
Lukashenka about the U.S. negotiators:
“The Americans told us that we must immediately publicly apologize to Lithuania. So I said: “They can f*** off.”
“The Americans told us that we must immediately publicly apologize to Lithuania. So I said: “They can f*** off.”
October 31, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Lukashenka about the U.S. negotiators:
“The Americans told us that we must immediately publicly apologize to Lithuania. So I said: “They can f*** off.”
“The Americans told us that we must immediately publicly apologize to Lithuania. So I said: “They can f*** off.”
News of “authoritarian stability”:
In Belarus, a YouTube channel featuring children’s fairy tales in the Belarusian language has been declared “extremist.”
The stories were about hedgehogs, mice, and foxes. The forced Russification of the country continues.
In Belarus, a YouTube channel featuring children’s fairy tales in the Belarusian language has been declared “extremist.”
The stories were about hedgehogs, mice, and foxes. The forced Russification of the country continues.
October 30, 2025 at 2:53 PM
News of “authoritarian stability”:
In Belarus, a YouTube channel featuring children’s fairy tales in the Belarusian language has been declared “extremist.”
The stories were about hedgehogs, mice, and foxes. The forced Russification of the country continues.
In Belarus, a YouTube channel featuring children’s fairy tales in the Belarusian language has been declared “extremist.”
The stories were about hedgehogs, mice, and foxes. The forced Russification of the country continues.
Highly respected President of Belarus
August 15, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Highly respected President of Belarus
Summary of Lukashenka’s interview with @shustry.bsky.social from TIME:
“Trump is a blabbermouth. I am a Trumpist”
“Trump is a blabbermouth. I am a Trumpist”
August 8, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Summary of Lukashenka’s interview with @shustry.bsky.social from TIME:
“Trump is a blabbermouth. I am a Trumpist”
“Trump is a blabbermouth. I am a Trumpist”
I’m confident that new chapters of success, public service, and dedication to the United States lie ahead for you.
Together, we always achieve more.
That’s why this country became great — and why it’s called the United States, not the Divided States.
Together, we always achieve more.
That’s why this country became great — and why it’s called the United States, not the Divided States.
July 12, 2025 at 6:10 PM
I’m confident that new chapters of success, public service, and dedication to the United States lie ahead for you.
Together, we always achieve more.
That’s why this country became great — and why it’s called the United States, not the Divided States.
Together, we always achieve more.
That’s why this country became great — and why it’s called the United States, not the Divided States.
I want to express my deep support —
For the work we’ve shared,
For your professionalism,
And for your ability to remain people of great heart in a field not known for sentimentality.
For the work we’ve shared,
For your professionalism,
And for your ability to remain people of great heart in a field not known for sentimentality.
July 12, 2025 at 6:10 PM
I want to express my deep support —
For the work we’ve shared,
For your professionalism,
And for your ability to remain people of great heart in a field not known for sentimentality.
For the work we’ve shared,
For your professionalism,
And for your ability to remain people of great heart in a field not known for sentimentality.
But the feeling we carried was the same as many of you have today:
The support of the people we served, and the enormous pride in the work we had done.
The support of the people we served, and the enormous pride in the work we had done.
July 12, 2025 at 6:10 PM
But the feeling we carried was the same as many of you have today:
The support of the people we served, and the enormous pride in the work we had done.
The support of the people we served, and the enormous pride in the work we had done.
Five years ago, there was no applause when I and dozens of my colleagues walked out of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry with our heads held high. Some were met with police and arrests shortly after their departure.
Many others — with forced exile abroad.
Many others — with forced exile abroad.
July 12, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Five years ago, there was no applause when I and dozens of my colleagues walked out of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry with our heads held high. Some were met with police and arrests shortly after their departure.
Many others — with forced exile abroad.
Many others — with forced exile abroad.
I’m watching a video of distinguished, talented American diplomats departing the State Department to the applause of their colleagues and the tearful embraces of loved ones waiting outside. My heart is with you today.
⬇️ 🧵
⬇️ 🧵
July 12, 2025 at 6:10 PM
I’m watching a video of distinguished, talented American diplomats departing the State Department to the applause of their colleagues and the tearful embraces of loved ones waiting outside. My heart is with you today.
⬇️ 🧵
⬇️ 🧵
I wrote about this taxi ride and my analytic failure. In the end, Harvard admitted me. To this day, I sincerely think that my taxi driver deserved my spot more than I did. I regret not taking his number to get his opinion from time to time.
June 29, 2025 at 12:31 PM
I wrote about this taxi ride and my analytic failure. In the end, Harvard admitted me. To this day, I sincerely think that my taxi driver deserved my spot more than I did. I regret not taking his number to get his opinion from time to time.
So, how about @harvard.edu ? In 2023, I felt I needed a new challenge/chapter in my career and applied. One of the essay prompts was: “Describe a time when interactions with others caused you to change your mind.”
June 29, 2025 at 12:31 PM
So, how about @harvard.edu ? In 2023, I felt I needed a new challenge/chapter in my career and applied. One of the essay prompts was: “Describe a time when interactions with others caused you to change your mind.”
The driver laughed: “I don’t know if General Milley has ever been to Ukraine’s front lines. I was there in 2014, when Russia first attacked us. We endured. No doubt we will endure again. Russia is much weaker than it wants you to think.”
June 29, 2025 at 12:31 PM
The driver laughed: “I don’t know if General Milley has ever been to Ukraine’s front lines. I was there in 2014, when Russia first attacked us. We endured. No doubt we will endure again. Russia is much weaker than it wants you to think.”
I admired his self-confidence but politely disagreed:
- Well, Western intel believes Ukraine can hold for only a few days. Gen. Milley predicts Kyiv falls within 72 hours. Russia has invested billions in modernizing its army, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers at the border.
- Well, Western intel believes Ukraine can hold for only a few days. Gen. Milley predicts Kyiv falls within 72 hours. Russia has invested billions in modernizing its army, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers at the border.
June 29, 2025 at 12:31 PM
I admired his self-confidence but politely disagreed:
- Well, Western intel believes Ukraine can hold for only a few days. Gen. Milley predicts Kyiv falls within 72 hours. Russia has invested billions in modernizing its army, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers at the border.
- Well, Western intel believes Ukraine can hold for only a few days. Gen. Milley predicts Kyiv falls within 72 hours. Russia has invested billions in modernizing its army, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers at the border.
At that time, Russian troops were already massed on Ukraine’s border, and people anxiously discussed the prospects of war. Suddenly my driver broke the ice:
- Just let them attack! They will fail! We can repel them!
- Just let them attack! They will fail! We can repel them!
June 29, 2025 at 12:31 PM
At that time, Russian troops were already massed on Ukraine’s border, and people anxiously discussed the prospects of war. Suddenly my driver broke the ice:
- Just let them attack! They will fail! We can repel them!
- Just let them attack! They will fail! We can repel them!
After leaving the diplomatic service, I began a new career as a political analyst, focusing on the region’s foreign and domestic policy. One day I had to speak at a conference on Eastern Europe’s security in the EU. On the way to the airport, I got stuck in a traffic jam.
June 29, 2025 at 12:31 PM
After leaving the diplomatic service, I began a new career as a political analyst, focusing on the region’s foreign and domestic policy. One day I had to speak at a conference on Eastern Europe’s security in the EU. On the way to the airport, I got stuck in a traffic jam.
First, some context. In 2020, Lukashenka stole the Belarusian elections. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets, and the harshest repression since Stalin began. I was a diplomat and resigned in protest. My family and I had to flee to Ukraine, settling in Lviv.
June 29, 2025 at 12:31 PM
First, some context. In 2020, Lukashenka stole the Belarusian elections. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets, and the harshest repression since Stalin began. I was a diplomat and resigned in protest. My family and I had to flee to Ukraine, settling in Lviv.
How a Ukrainian taxi driver helped me get into Harvard.
A Sunday thread 🧵
A Sunday thread 🧵
June 29, 2025 at 12:31 PM
How a Ukrainian taxi driver helped me get into Harvard.
A Sunday thread 🧵
A Sunday thread 🧵
Lukashenka
VS
His opponent Tsikhanouski
What do you notice?
VS
His opponent Tsikhanouski
What do you notice?
June 26, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Lukashenka
VS
His opponent Tsikhanouski
What do you notice?
VS
His opponent Tsikhanouski
What do you notice?
U.S.–Iran: new chapter unfolding
June 22, 2025 at 12:05 AM
U.S.–Iran: new chapter unfolding
My very brief, speculative take on today’s talks:
June 21, 2025 at 7:53 PM
My very brief, speculative take on today’s talks:
Belarusian jails in two pictures: Tsikhanouski before and after imprisonment
June 21, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Belarusian jails in two pictures: Tsikhanouski before and after imprisonment
Funny moment: Keith Kellog describes Lukashenka’s office: “With all this gold, it looks a lot like Mar-a-Lago.”
The Belarusian Ambassador to the UN, interpreting, mistranslated it as: “It’s better to see this than a golf club at Mar-a-Lago.”
The Belarusian Ambassador to the UN, interpreting, mistranslated it as: “It’s better to see this than a golf club at Mar-a-Lago.”
June 21, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Funny moment: Keith Kellog describes Lukashenka’s office: “With all this gold, it looks a lot like Mar-a-Lago.”
The Belarusian Ambassador to the UN, interpreting, mistranslated it as: “It’s better to see this than a golf club at Mar-a-Lago.”
The Belarusian Ambassador to the UN, interpreting, mistranslated it as: “It’s better to see this than a golf club at Mar-a-Lago.”
After Kellog’s visit to Belarus, Lukashenka released Siarhei Tsikhanouski — a former presidential candidate and the husband of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya who was arrested by the regime — along with 13 other political prisoners.
Siarhei and Sviatlana met in Vilnius.
Such great news!
Siarhei and Sviatlana met in Vilnius.
Such great news!
June 21, 2025 at 6:13 PM
After Kellog’s visit to Belarus, Lukashenka released Siarhei Tsikhanouski — a former presidential candidate and the husband of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya who was arrested by the regime — along with 13 other political prisoners.
Siarhei and Sviatlana met in Vilnius.
Such great news!
Siarhei and Sviatlana met in Vilnius.
Such great news!
Ok, he is getting nervous
June 18, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Ok, he is getting nervous