In fact, in his interview with Ukrainian media outlet Liga.net., Rasmussen said that Russia is likely to have the worst-case scenario in store for Belarus.“The key risk is the repetition of the Ukrainian scenario that includes war and annexation in Belarus. If the country fails to start reforms, it will face such a scenario. I would advise Belarus to introduce reforms leading to democracy and freedom,” he said.

The West has been supporting and cooperating with Ukraine on multiple levels. After the annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Donbas provoked by Russia, the Support Group for Ukraine (SGUA) was established by decision of the President of the European Commission in April 2014. The EU is unwavering in its support for the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty and sees the full implementation of the Minsk agreements as the basis for a sustainable, political solution to the conflict in the east of the country. Since spring 2014, the EU has stepped up its support for economic and political reforms in Ukraine.

The US have confirmed their support multiple times, including in September 2018 when Washington said it was ready to expand arms supplies to Ukraine, in order to build up the country’s naval and air defence forces in the face of continuing Russian support for eastern separatists, according to the US special envoy for Ukraine.