June 25, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka, speaking at a meeting today with the visiting governor of Russia’s Moscow province, expressed indignation over Ukraine’s ultimatum and warned Kyiv against drawing Belarus into its war with Russia.
Łukašenka said he had asked representatives of the Ukrainian president to tell Volodymyr Zelensky that “if he thinks he can talk to us like this and draw us into the war on top of that, he should realize that the nature of the war would change instantly,” according to a video posted by his press office on an unofficial Telegram channel.
“This will be an absolutely different war. By the way, we have received the [Ukrainian] president’s reply; he understands this,” he added.
He went on to theorize that a hypothetical Belarusian invasion force would be confronted by Ukrainian territorial defense troops, and that neither side would want to shoot at the other.
“Come on, would we be shooting at these tractor drivers, milkmaids and workers who don’t want to fight Belarusians? Neither do we want to fight Ukrainians,” Łukašenka said in the video posted by Pul Pervogo, a Telegram channel linked to his press office.
“That’s why, guys, let’s negotiate substantively, without raising dust and shouting. Let’s go about it decently, understanding who Russia is and who we are.”
Łukašenka reiterated that Belarus “will be with Russia in any situation.”
“We understand what could happen if the West butts in again and wins,” he said.
His comments came six days after Zelensky gave the Belarusian authorities one week to dismantle four drone-control relay systems allegedly used to facilitate Russian attacks on Ukraine.
“If he [Łukašenka] does not shut them down, we will shut down everything within a week. Either they will do it, or we will,” the Ukrainian leader warned.
On June 24, Zelensky said that the relay systems had suspended operations.
On June 23, Alaksandar Łukašenka urged residents of the Homiel region, which borders Ukraine, not to be anxious following Zelensky’s ultimatum.
Belarus “has everything necessary to protect its population from any aggressor,” Pul Pervogo, a Telegram channel linked to the Belarusian ruler’s press office, quoted him as saying.
