His critics hope that dissatisfied Belarussians will realise their own strength, or that the fractious opposition will unite.

ECONOMIST: Belarus

Last year Ukrainians crossed the border with Poland 6m times, Belarussians 4m times.

ECONOMIST: Poland should be smart as well as tough

Belarussians, Germans, Jews, Lithuanians, Slovaks and Ukrainians, who make up around 1m of Poland's 39m people, are setting up cultural centres, schools and religious centres.

ECONOMIST: Poland