{"id":145968,"date":"2025-07-09T09:21:42","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T06:21:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/145968\/"},"modified":"2025-07-09T09:21:45","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T06:21:45","slug":"from-admiration-to-hate-change-of-lukasenkas-attitude-toward-united-states","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/145968\/","title":{"rendered":"From admiration to hate: change of \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s attitude toward United States"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka seeks improved ties with Washington despite fiery anti-American rhetoric.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n (pixabay.com)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

July 4 message addressed to Trump<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian leader sent a message addressed to US President Donald Trump and \u201call Americans\u201d on Independence Day, wishing them \u201cpeace, well-being and prosperity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Joe Biden\u2019s presidency from 2021 to 2024, \u0141uka\u0161enka sent his Independence Day greetings only to the American people, in line with his usual approach toward nations he regards as \u201cunfriendly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relations between Minsk and Washington have deteriorated in recent years, but \u201cthis situation goes against the national interests of both our countries and our peoples. It\u2019s time to change it,\u201d he stressed in his message to Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anti-American rhetoric<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka has consistently cast the United States as the world\u2019s greatest evil in his public appearances, including recent ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking at a grand rally of his loyalists on July 1, he blamed Washington for armed conflicts across the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEighty years after our Victory [World War II], the Yalta peace was followed by the Brussels-Washington gamble. Western officials create the hotbeds of tension directly from their offices,\u201d he charged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also criticized Trump\u2019s controversial idea that the US should take over Gaza and turn it into what the US president called the Riviera of the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe world has not yet recovered from the horrendous footage of the Israeli-Palestinian bloodbath, where they want to create some resort on people\u2019s, children\u2019s bones. Think about it!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He attacked Trump over US involvement in the bombing of Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou see, it [Israel] would never have bombed it if a superpower was not behind it. And you know who was behind it. This president\u2019s [a reference to Trump] confusing and incoherent statements are simply ridiculous.<\/strong> By the way, I told it straight to the Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn the one hand, Trump is a peacemaker: \u2018People are dying. I want to stop the war in Ukraine!\u2019 Then he orders an absolutely illegal strike on Iran,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blowing Belarus\u2019 significance out of proportion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka often exaggerates Belarus\u2019 geopolitical importance, portraying his country as a focal point of US politics and a chief rival of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBelarus is a bone in the Americans\u2019 throat,\u201d he said in 2007. \u201cThey want to close this gap, a thousand kilometers, or take this strip [of land], 1,500 kilometers, under control to influence both Russia and Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf the Americans impose their order on Belarus, they would have room to do what they want through the governments under their control and would be able to hold Europe by the throat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd we have found ourselves at the epicenter of all these developments. That is why they target us, not because we are short of democracy and a dictator is in power. Not because of that. But because we are, like I said, at the center of these developments and are trying to conduct our proud independent policy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2008, he explained to students at Belarusian State University that Washington was displeased with Belarus because it viewed the country as a major rival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe expansion of our involvement in global trade, expansion to new markets and increased ties with countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Who would wish to have a new competitor in the markets considered a province, a sphere of national interests of one state?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Officials echo this exaggeration. Speaking about \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s meeting with Keith Kellogg, the US president\u2019s special envoy for Ukraine, last month, Uladzimir Piarco\u016d, deputy head of the Belarusian ruler\u2019s administration, said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDevelopments on our continent and our planet as a whole depend on such dialogue, a conversation of real politicians.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criticism of the powerful<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian leader often lashes out at the United States even when Belarusian interests are not directly affected. Take, for instance, his recent tirade about the Israeli-US bombing of Iran\u2019s nuclear sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While demonizing the United States, \u0141uka\u0161enka cannot conceal his admiration for its power and is visibly pleased when American politicians give him any attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1999, on the sidelines of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Istanbul Summit, he shook hands with US President Bill Clinton. Official media portrayed the brief handshake as a diplomatic breakthrough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also had a short conversation with Clinton at a UN summit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cClinton is my friend,\u201d he said afterward. \u201cWe like each other . . . had a friendly conversation. We maintain informal, good relations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI once told Clinton at a meeting: I wish I had your worries. He laughed and then asked: why did you say so? I answered: you don\u2019t have to deal with price controls, corruption, privatization, sowing, floods and many other things. I have to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Praise of Trump<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka never met US President Barack Obama in person, but he was enthusiastic about Obama\u2019s electoral victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe [Obama] is 100-percent \u0141uka\u0161enka, when I came to power after the collapse of the Soviet Union.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian strongman welcomed Trump\u2019s 2016 election victory:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour victory testifies that the American people have chosen a policy based on honesty, responsibility and striving for change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later, \u0141uka\u0161enka called Trump \u201can unordinary politician\u201d and claimed Trump had won the 2020 election, alleging the vote was rigged by oligarchs. He even defended the protesters who stormed the Capitol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He welcomed Trump\u2019s 2024 victory as \u201ca personal feat.\u201d The Belarusian leader sees nothing inconsistent in praising the leaders of a country he routinely portrays as a global threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka denies he caved<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian leader emerged triumphant after his June 21 meeting with Kellogg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat they discuss<\/strong> the situation in the world with your president is not bad already. That means they respect your point of view,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is very important that people\u2014those who could not pronounce the word \u2018president\u2019 after 2020\u2014come to you and want to talk to you,\u201d he added, referring to Washington\u2019s refusal to recognize him after the disputed presidential election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey come to the president today. They say that Belarus has a president and they need to talk to him, because he decides something on behalf of the Belarusian people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The remark reveals his lingering frustration with international non-recognition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also admitted that some in his inner circle were displeased with his decision to free opposition politician Siarhiej Cichano\u016dski under pressure from Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He rejected any suggestion that he had yielded to American demands, insisting it was entirely his decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Americans did not even ask for it,\u201d he said. \u201cThey consider him a pro-Russian guy. He will find it hard to prove the opposite. Meanwhile, we keep silent. You understand we have enough facts [to prove it].\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eleven days after releasing Cichano\u016dski and 13 others, he pardoned 16 more prisoners convicted of what officials called \u201cextremism-related\u201d charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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