Ukraine's neighbor Belarus is playing a crucial role in this war. Russian president Vladimir Putin used the territory of Belarus, his closest military and political ally, as a staging ground for his February invasion. Russian forces have since launched missiles and drones into Ukraine from Belarus. Last month, the government in Kyiv boosted its forces in the north near Belarus, to counter possible future attacks from across the border.
Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined DW to discuss the situation. She was the main challenger to Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko in a 2020 election and was then forced to leave her country under pressure. She joined DW from Strasbourg.