Putin: Russia-Belarus Merger 'Possible' And 'Desirable'

[Mordid]

You measure success of a country by what language the president speaks? It's a similar Slavic language ffs... I could care less if I had to speak Belarusian or Ukranian. It's like arguing which one should I have Vanilla or French Vanilla?

I'm not sure about Ukrainian becuase I have not heard their language, but when I was listen to Belarusian language, they sounds very familiar to me.

Polish movie
[YOUTUBE]Br11ERhB3Mc[/YOUTUBE]
Do they sounds familiar to you ?

[Max]

I was referring to the identity question, not to successes of countries in general.

Łukašenka admitted once that to be able to speak Belarusian he had to "recall" it by reading books, etc. While Yanukovych gets Ukrainized immediately after becoming a president - the main difference between Ukraine and Belarus.

A president does not need to Ukrainize or Belarusify his country. If the people feel so strongly about their national identity than they should learn it them selfs. The Russian language is just much more useful to know than Belarusian/ Ukrainian. Do you also think that Belarusians are loosing their identity because they learn English and have McDonalds? I mean even Moskovites have their own unique identity and some even say even a our own unique language It's natural to have differences between regions and especially for a country the size of Russia. Honestly if we took an unbiased poll of Belarusian people on whether it's better to stay independent or merge with Russia what do you think the results would be? Would it depend on the region? age group?
Do you really think Belarusians want to start all over from 1991 by them selfs?

[Max]

I'm not sure about Ukrainian becuase I have not heard their language, but when I was listen to Belarusian language, they sounds very familiar to me.

Polish movie
[YOUTUBE]Br11ERhB3Mc[/YOUTUBE]
Do they sounds familiar to you ?

I mean even I can understand at about 1/4 of the words in Polish. It would also help if he wasn't eating while he's talking.

[W. R.]

A president does not need to Ukrainize or Belarusify his country. If the people feel so strongly about their national identity than they should learn it them selfs. The Russian language is just much more useful to know than Belarusian/ Ukrainian. Do you also think that Belarusians are loosing their identity because they learn English and have McDonalds?

Give Ukrainians some more time and they will become a normal nation-state, they are going in the correct direction - that was my point (the example of the two presidents was an illustration to that). While the identity of Belarusians is in a more f*cked-up condition. That's why we look more like a Soviet republic: with our language dying, the red flags in our streets, the ritual dances around the integration with Russia, etc.

Honestly if we took an unbiased poll of Belarusian people on whether it's better to stay independent or merge with Russia what do you think the results would be? Would it depend on the region? age group?

So far it was like this: the more time passes since the breakup of the USSR, the less nostalgic people are about it. In the East pro-Russian sentiments are stronger generally. As a rule, the younger people are the less they care about the possible reunion, I think.

Do you really think Belarusians want to start all over from 1991 by them selfs?

It won't be the same. After all since 1991 we have lived with (sort of) a market economy (with many Soviet rudiments, though). For 20 years.

[Caeruleus]

I dont care what they do as long as they leave Moldova out of it. I dont want to see my contrymen getting killed, deported, treated like garbage by imperialistic scum. I would rather pay an extra buck for electricity/gas than be a Homo Sovieticus (a walking zombie).

[Joe McCarthy]

It's amusing that Putin's Soviet style ways are so blatant that even his protege Medvedev is putting out the word that another Putin presidency would be akin to the return of Brezhnev.

Soon, this anti-Western fanatic will be tossed into the ashbin of history.

[Albion]

It's amusing that Putin's Soviet style ways are so blatant that even his protege Medvedev is putting out the word that another Putin presidency would be akin to the return of Brezhnev.

Soon, this anti-Western fanatic will be tossed into the ashbin of history.

I doubt it, there's a personality cult around him. Many Russians like him I think, a lot of them still have Soviet nostalgia and all.

[Joe McCarthy]

I doubt it, there's a personality cult around him. Many Russians like him I think, a lot of them still have Soviet nostalgia and all.

His approval rating is probably no higher than 40 percent in the big cities. Might be higher in horse and buggy country, but the chances of him becoming president again decline by the month.

[Gordon Bennett]

You may be right, Joe, but I wouldn't bet against Putin.