Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, in a lengthy interview, spoke at length about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine.
Mr. Lukashenko's interview with Ukrainian journalist Diana Panchenko was published on the journalist's Youtube channel on August 17.
Special Requests
The Russian president did not pressure Belarus into getting involved in the conflict in Ukraine, Lukashenko said, warning that Minsk would respond to external aggression, including the use of Russian nuclear weapons deployed in his country.
Mr Lukashenko, one of Mr Putin's closest allies whose country borders Ukraine, Russia and three NATO nations including Poland, said the Russian leader had no reason to draw Belarus directly into the conflict.
“Forcing Belarus to join… what will that bring? Nothing,” Mr Lukashenko said in the interview.
The Belarusian leader said his Russian counterpart had not warned him in advance about the launch of the “special military operation” but had made a special request.
“Before the military operation was launched, we did not have any talks warning that a war would begin. I swear to you that we did not have any conversations about Russia doing something against Ukraine,” Lukashenko told Panchenko.
According to the Belarusian leader, a few days before the conflict broke out, the Russian president asked him to “protect him if anything happens.” Mr Lukashenko explained: “Most likely, he was afraid of being stabbed in the back by the West.”
BMP-2 amphibious infantry fighting vehicles are seen ahead of the 10-day joint Allied Resolve-2022 exercise between the Belarusian and Russian armies, which will start on February 10, 2022. Photo: Getty Images
Mr Lukashenko also admitted that some units of the Russian armed forces had crossed the border with Ukraine from Belarusian territory as Moscow began its military campaign in the Eastern European neighbour.
“There is no reason for you to blame me. Not a single member of the Belarusian armed forces was there. We did not cross this border, but you are the ones who provoked us first,” Mr Lukashenko said, referring to Ukraine.
The long-time leader in Minsk explained that before Russia began its special military operation, Kiev deployed missile units near the border with Belarus, including those using Tochka-U missiles.
“Our military intelligence tracked these units. First, they removed the tarpaulins, then they put the missile systems into firing positions and aimed at us. That is why this must be taken into account in the Russian operation. The Russians destroyed these units first,” Lukashenko said.
Diplomatic classics
In the interview, Mr. Lukashenko also said that he believed Mr. Putin had achieved his goals in Ukraine, and that no one could “overthrow” the Russian leader at this time.
“Let them try. If the current problems are not enough for them, they will face even more problems. No one can overthrow Putin at this time,” the Belarusian president noted, referring to comments that Moscow’s special military operation would end with a change of leadership in Russia.
Regarding the discussions aimed at ending the fighting, Mr. Lukashenko said that Kiev and Moscow should sit down for talks and be ready to discuss all issues, including the future of Crimea and other separatist Ukrainian territories that the Kremlin has declared to be annexed to the Russian Federation.
“The talks should start without preconditions. This is a classic of any diplomacy. Let's sit down at the negotiating table and discuss everything - Crimea, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk. Everything there should be discussed. We should sit down and develop an agenda.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at a museum in Kronstadt on Kotlin Island, outside St. Petersburg, on July 23, 2023. This was the most recent face-to-face meeting between the two leaders. Photo: Getty Images
Regarding Crimea – the peninsula in the north of the Black Sea that Russia annexed in 2014, Mr. Lukashenko said President Putin had never insisted that Minsk recognize the peninsula or any breakaway regions.
“He never insisted on it. I did not recognize Crimea, Abkhazia, or other places. Not because I had any special views there. It would not change anything and would not achieve anything. We cooperated with Crimea and we are cooperating. We do not hide it. It is just that from my point of view recognition is not necessary,” Lukashenko told Panchenko.
Asked if he had recently disagreed with Mr Putin over events surrounding Ukraine, Mr Lukashenko said that he and the Russian president would express different views in bilateral discussions.
“If there is a problem, we will discuss it. It is not like some so-called opposition activists in the West try to explain: Mr. Lukashenko is controlled by Mr. Putin, he does what he says. With my personality, my approach, people who know me understand perfectly that it is impossible.”
Diana Panchenko is a Ukrainian journalist and former employee of the now-defunct NewsOne TV channel. The journalist has been accused by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) of being “pro-Russian and spreading enemy propaganda.”
In January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed a number of sanctions on journalist Panchenko, including freezing his bank accounts, stopping cultural exchanges and cooperation, preventing him from entering Ukraine, and withdrawing Ukrainian state awards .
Minh Duc (According to TASS, Al Arabiya, Reuters)
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