Фото: president.gov.by
Aliaksandr Lukashenka considers it unacceptable for Belarus to enter the war between Russia and Ukraine or for hostilities to be conducted on Belarusian territory. He said this in an interview with Al Arabiya.
Asked to comment on Ukraine’s statements that Russia is planning to launch a new offensive against Ukraine from Belarusian territory, Lukashenka said the issue had been discussed with Vladimir Putin.
“We have repeatedly said that it is absolutely unacceptable for the war between Ukraine and Russia to spill over into Belarusian territory. For various reasons. Putin and I discussed this issue because it has always been present in the media. And I can sincerely say, almost word for word, what the Russian president told me: ‘We understand that Belarus entering the war or conflict in any capacity is unacceptable. It would do more harm than good.’ That is the honest answer to this question,” he said.
Lukashenka cited three reasons why Belarus should not enter the war: Belarus’s vulnerability to Ukrainian forces, Belarusians’ unwillingness to die in the conflict, and the inability of Russia and Belarus to defend an expanded front line.
“First. Belarus (we understand this, which is why we do not want to fight) is highly vulnerable from a military perspective if Ukraine begins attacking Belarus in the same way it attacks Russia. Belarus is completely exposed to the Ukrainian military. We understand perfectly well that our key infrastructure facilities — industrial and logistical — would come under attack. As they have stated, they already have 500 such targets identified in Belarus,” Lukashenka said.
The second reason, according to Lukashenka, is that Belarusians do not want war: “We have already suffered enough throughout history. We understand that many of our servicemen would die. For what? Why should they die?”
He also said that if Belarus entered the war, Russia and Belarus would be unable to protect the new front line.
“The front line for Russia above all (and naturally for us as well), if it were to attack Kyiv from Belarusian territory, would increase by 1,500 kilometres along the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. Given the current course of the war, we and the Russians would not be able to ensure the protection of that section,” Lukashenka said.
In addition, Lukashenka argued that if Belarus entered the war, NATO would deploy troops to Ukraine.
“And this war would take on a new dimension. It would become a war of Belarus and Russia against the NATO bloc. Although I do not rule out that this could happen even without that,” he said.
He also referred to humanitarian considerations and said he had received an intelligence report on public sentiment in border regions of Ukraine and Belarus.
“Yesterday I received a report from our intelligence service on the mood on the other side of the Ukrainian border. And on the mood in Belarus. Everything is intertwined there. Families of Belarusians live in Ukraine, and in Belarus, in our south, there are families of Ukrainians. There are mixed families — people married, raised children and lived as normal people. There was no real border. Ukrainians came to us across the border, and Belarusians travelled freely to Ukraine. At one time I travelled to Ukraine myself. Even my roots are buried somewhere between Chernihiv and Kyiv — the roots of my ancestors. And are we supposed to cast all of that aside, forget it and start fighting? No,” Lukashenka said.
According to Lukashenka, Volodymyr Zelenskyy understands that Belarus will not enter the war.
“Moreover, he (Zelenskyy) understands perfectly well that no military action should be expected from Belarus, and especially from me,” Lukashenka said.
Lukashenka apologised to the Ukrainian president for his sharp response to remarks about 500 targets in Belarus.
“Perhaps I went too far somewhere, but it was a response to his offhand statements: ‘We have 500 targets, we know where Lukashenka is. Tomorrow we will strike with missiles and drones.’ I remained silent. Everyone was even surprised that I stayed silent. I understood that the man was under enormous pressure, a young man, inexperienced, not a military man. Perhaps something did not work properly in his head. I stayed silent. But when they began threatening me, I was forced to respond.”
“If Volodymyr Oleksandrovych was offended, I apologise to him for those words. Perhaps I should not have said them, considering that he is at war. Perhaps I should not have spoken so harshly. But on the other hand, he should understand — as we often say, the way you sing is the way you will be buried.” Lukashenka said.
He advised Zelenskyy not to provoke him or the Belarusian people.