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Belarus' request for loans from the International Monetary Fund shows the global economic crisis' spread -- and Minsk's desire to wean itself from Moscow.

The Belarusian government on Oct. 22 requested a US$2 billion stabilization loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). A spokesman for the Belarus Central Bank told Dow Jones Newswires that the loans are “a preemptive measure … to increase the country’s foreign currency reserves.” The move comes shortly after similar requests by Hungary and Iceland and during ongoing negotiations with Ukraine for an aid package, illustrating how the financial crisis is quickly spreading through Central Europe.

More importantly, the request by the isolated and authoritarian Belarus for an IMF loan is notable because it further illustrates Minsk’s desire for independence from its supposed patron Russia. By going to the IMF, Minsk is essentially saying that it would rather allow a Western financial institution some control over its economy than ask Russia for (another) loan. An IMF loan would be more palatable to Minsk than going to the European Union, since the EU would want significant political changes in return, whereas IMF’s conditions are mainly economic.