By Alexey Volkov: A large-scale forum Minsk Dialogue "Eastern Europe: in Search of Security" was held in the Belarusian capital last week. Hundreds of experts from about 40 countries gathered in Minsk to discuss how to make Europe and the world safer.
The main challenge for the world today is the security of small countries. Big states, big players are able to protect themselves, while small countries do not have so much power, so it is necessary to form a common system of protection.
Among other things, the participants discussed the issue of fake news and cyber security. This was one of the key topics of the Minsk talks. It is a completely new kind of conflict that does not involve victims, but hackers have already been credited with influencing elections in many countries. In addition, the Internet does not recognize borders, and that means a joint mechanism is needed.
Any crisis means new opportunities, though. Representatives of the NATO and the CSTO spoke about this in Minsk as well. Two organizations today are not ideological opponents, and deterrence tactics can fail. The OSCE is not at its best right now, and the UN Security Council is reluctant to make decisive steps, but it is crucial not to repeat the tragedy of the Second World War. Peace and stability in the region is the priority today.
