Like Ukraine and the rest of Eastern Europe, Belarus is a contested borderlands country between Russia and European powers . Unlike the Baltics, however, which are members of the European Union and NATO, and Ukraine and Moldova, which are currently trying to integrate further with the Western camp , Belarus has not made meaningful efforts at integration with the West. Instead, Belarus is strongly aligned with Russia, making it unique among the former Soviet countries of Eastern Europe. Belarus, Russia and the West Belarusian Ties with Russia and the West Belarus' alignment with Russia spans numerous strategic areas. First, Belarus is a member of Russia's security sphere due to its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization , Moscow's answer to NATO. Belarus is also closely integrated with Russia's economic sphere, serving as a member and strong advocate of Russia's Customs Union .