Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko announced that his country will not directly enter Russia's war against Ukraine. Lukashenko said that the spread of the conflict onto Belarusian territory is unacceptable in every respect.
Speaking to BelTA News Agency on Monday, June 15, Lukashenko responded to claims that Kyiv plans to launch a new attack from Belarusian territory. He denied this allegation and said he had discussed the matter with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
According to Lukashenko, Putin also stated that it is unacceptable for Belarus to enter the war in any way. This conveyed that both sides have clarified their positions on the issue.
Security, Frontline, and NATO Concerns
While arguing that the war should not spread to Belarus, Lukashenko emphasized that his country is militarily vulnerable. He said Belarus could be left defenseless if Ukraine launches an attack.
As a second reason, he noted that the frontline would significantly extend. In such a case, Belarus and Russia would struggle to defend this line.
Lukashenko also said this could draw NATO countries into the conflict. According to him, this could escalate the conflict to a new level and turn the war into a confrontation between Belarus and Russia against NATO.
As a third reason, he highlighted the strong family ties between Belarus and Ukraine. He said that families on both sides of the border are very close, and that his own roots and ancestors' graves are located somewhere between Chernihiv and Kyiv.
Lukashenko argued that these ties cannot be ignored and that starting a war would not be right.
Retraction Regarding Words About Zelenskiy
Lukashenko also spoke about his past harsh remarks about Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenskiy. He said those words were a reaction to Zelenskiy's statement that 500 targets would be ready to be hit if Belarus entered the war.
Admitting that he may have gone too far in previous statements, Lukashenko apologized to Zelenskiy. He added that such harsh language was inappropriate while Ukraine is at war.
Although Lukashenko previously described Zelenskiy as young and inexperienced, his apology was delivered in a softer tone.
Meanwhile, it was also recalled that a senior Ukrainian military commander recently warned Lukashenko not to involve Belarus in the conflict following border tensions.
