Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has given Aliaksandr Lukashenka one week to disable equipment allegedly used to guide Russian drones.
“There are relay transmitters installed on communication towers. Russian relay transmitters, Belarusian ones — what difference does it make to us? They are on his territory, along two regions bordering Ukraine. Equipment is located there that helps adjust fire against the Ukrainian population. Specifically against civilians. There is no such active frontline there now between Ukraine and Belarus, yet civilians are being killed. These relay transmitters are installed on the relevant towers.
Can he remove them? Why say that he does not want war? Let him remove this equipment, let him switch it off. I think one week will be enough for him to do that. Why do I say one week? Because every day our civilians are dying because of this. Children are being wounded. If he does not do it, we will,” Zelensky said at a joint press conference with Honduran President Nasry Asfura in Kyiv on Friday.
Zelensky also commented on Lukashenka’s apology to him.
“Security on the border is very important for us. He understands this perfectly well; we are adults, right? Nobody stays offended simply because of words, personal words. If my country is insulted, we will take offense and we will not forget it. But if it concerns personal matters, he apologized, and thank God for that, let’s put it that way,” Zelensky said.
“It is another matter when Mr. Lukashenka says he does not want to be drawn into this war. Here he should be honest at least with his own people, because it is not he who may be drawn into the war. His entire country may be drawn into it by Russia. They have been doing this since the first days of the war. That is a fact.
When the full-scale war began, we were attacked by missiles, children and adults were killed, and you know that. A large number of missiles were launched from Belarus, from his country. At that time, he also called, apologized and said he did not control it and that Russia was acting on its own territory. Of course, I do not believe that. But he did say it.
Now Russia will continue pushing him toward this war. He now understands that Ukraine will respond. So there is no need for unnecessary words,” Zelensky said.