Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said Belarus will not be dragged into the war in Ukraine, while also stressing that Minsk and Moscow would jointly respond to any aggression against them.
His comments were reported by Belarus’ state news agency BELTA on Thursday (21 May) during joint nuclear exercises conducted with Russia, which he and Russian President Vladimir Putin observed via video link.
Lukashenko directly rejected warnings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Belarus could be further pulled into the conflict.
“As for (Zelenskyy’s) statements that Belarus will be drawn into the war… this will occur in only one instance - if aggression is committed on our territory,” he said, according to BELTA.
He added that Belarus and Russia would act together in such a scenario.
“We will together defend our Fatherland… where our two countries stand,” Lukashenko said.
Despite the tensions, Lukashenko said he was willing to meet Zelenskyy to discuss the situation directly.
“If Zelenskyy wanted to talk about something… we are open to this. Any location - Ukraine, Belarus - I am ready to meet him and discuss problems in our relations,” he said.
The Belarusian leader’s remarks come after repeated Ukrainian warnings that Belarus could be used as a platform for renewed Russian military activity. Belarus allowed Russian forces to use its territory during the February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In his nightly address on Thursday, Zelenskyy said Russia was attempting to pull Belarus deeper into the war. He also said Ukraine was strengthening its defences along its northern border.
Russia is “eager to draw Belarus deeper into this war,” he said, adding that Ukraine had “the capability to strengthen our defences… and to work preventively.”
Ukrainian officials have recently reported increased monitoring of the border area with Belarus, including in northern regions.
Lukashenko made his comments while observing joint nuclear drills with Russia. The exercises were presented by Moscow and Minsk as a demonstration of defensive readiness.
The Belarusian leader insisted the drills were not linked to any intention of escalation, but part of ongoing military cooperation with Russia.
Belarus remains under Western sanctions over human rights concerns and its support for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.
However, recent months have seen limited diplomatic engagement with the United States. Several rounds of talks have reportedly led to the release of detainees described by Western governments as political prisoners, in exchange for partial easing of sanctions.
U.S. envoy John Coale has suggested Lukashenko could visit the United States in the near future.
Lukashenko also suggested that improved dialogue between Washington and Minsk may be influencing Kyiv’s statements.
“They see that we are having a specific dialogue with the Americans,” he said, according to BELTA. “And not everyone likes that. And that’s why they are nudging Zelenskyy.”
As the 13th edition of the World Urban Forum nears an end, Azerbaijan's Pavilion will showcase reconstruction efforts in its liberated territor...
South Korean workers manufacturing chips for Samsung Electronics are set to vote on a pay deal that could see some of...
A 13-year-old boy was killed in northern Gaza on Thursday (21 May) after an Israeli drone strike hit the town of Beit Lahiya, according to local he...
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said Belarus will not be dragged into the war in Ukraine, while also stressing that Minsk and Moscow ...
Iran’s Supreme Leader has issued a directive that the country’s near-weapons-grade enriched uranium must not be sent abroad, according ...
As the 13th edition of the World Urban Forum nears an end, Azerbaijan's Pavilion will showcase reconstruction efforts in its liberated territories and foreground the importance of mine removal in resettlement efforts.
South Korean workers manufacturing chips for Samsung Electronics are set to vote on a pay deal that could see some of them receive $416,000 in bonuses.
A 13-year-old boy was killed in northern Gaza on Thursday (21 May) after an Israeli drone strike hit the town of Beit Lahiya, according to local health officials, as residents reported a renewed increase in Israeli evacuation warnings ahead of attacks.
Iran’s Supreme Leader has issued a directive that the country’s near-weapons-grade enriched uranium must not be sent abroad, according to two senior Iranian sources, marking a firm tightening of Tehran’s position in ongoing negotiations with the United States.
Asian stocks surged on Thursday as some vessels resumed passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while forecast-beating results at Nvidia and a suspended workers' strike at Samsung Electronics lifted shares of chipmakers.
The penultimate day of the World Urban Forum 13 in Baku will see Azerbaijan's Pavilion highlight post-construction efforts in Garabagh and East Zangezur, as well as host events on the future of Baku and architectural education.
At least 21 people have been killed and thousands evacuated after torrential rain triggered flooding, landslides and transport disruption across southern and central China, with authorities warning that more heavy rainfall is expected along the Yangtze River.
Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya warned on Tuesday (19 May) that Moscow could retaliate against Baltic states if Ukraine launches military drones from that region. Latvia, the United States and Ukraine responded strongly during a UN Security Council meeting.
South Korea’s Samsung Electronics is facing its largest potential labour action in years, with tens of thousands of workers preparing for a prolonged strike over bonuses and profit-sharing at a time when the company is benefiting from a global artificial intelligence (AI) driven chip boom.
South Korean workers manufacturing chips for Samsung Electronics are set to vote on a pay deal that could see some of them receive $416,000 in bonuses.
A French appeals court has found Airbus and Air France guilty of corporate manslaughter over the 2009 Rio–Paris crash, marking a major development in a case that has stretched on for 17 years.
Nigeria’s anti-drug agency says it has dismantled a methamphetamine production syndicate in what officials describe as the country’s largest drugs seizure of its kind.
After many years, reams of regulatory paperwork and a well-timed presidential visit, Tesla has finally launched its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system in China, the world’s largest electric vehicle market and one in which competitors have been rapidly advancing their autonomous driving capabilities.
Activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla detained by Israel at sea have been released from prison and are expected to be deported to Türkiye, officials confirmed on Thursday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment