Alyaksandr Lukashenka called Volodymyr Zelensky's statements threatening the Belarusian side "idle chatter." He made this statement to journalists on May 29 at the EAEU summit in Astana, but his press service and state media only disseminated the reports today.
Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Astana. Photo: Alexander Kazakov Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP
Lukashenka was asked to comment on statements from Kyiv, including about 500 potential targets identified on Belarusian territory.
"They may have identified 500 targets. We have one very serious target with precise coordinates and not far from Belarus. They also understand this," Lukashenka replied.
"May Volodymyr Oleksandrovych [Zelensky] forgive me for this, but this is some kind of idle chatter," Lukashenka said.
Lukashenka believes that the position of the Ukrainian military on this issue is different.
"Ukrainian military personnel do not want any war with Belarus. I know this for sure. Because they understand that this is an additional 1500 kilometers of front – the border. And it's not a simple border between Belarus and Ukraine. Do they need this? No," Lukashenka said.
Alyaksandr Lukashenka said he thinks a lot about why Volodymyr Zelensky has been making such statements recently. He concluded that the Ukrainian president is being pushed to do so by a number of European countries.
"We talk to the Americans. Trump's position is clear. Whatever he is, he takes the right position. Americans talk, someone there is meaningfully silent, someone, again, says, Europeans are roaring about something. And they tell him: 'Why are you silent? Tomorrow there will supposedly be an attack from Belarus on Ukraine'."
In this regard, Lukashenka stated: "This will never happen. Never! Our soldiers have not been there [in Ukraine] and will not be. He also knows this, and the military knows it."
"That means the Europeans pushed him to make such statements. How is this – they are fighting for Ukraine, and Ukraine itself is silent? So he is blabbering," Lukashenka said.
Due to the insults and humiliations, Lukashenka added that he "to some extent regrets" Volodymyr Zelensky.
"I try to understand the President of Ukraine. There is a war, there is terrible pressure. It's not so easy to survive this. Well, and maybe something happened there. He smoked something, injected something, and something else happened, and he starts making this statement. I just feel sorry for him. That's why I'm silent. God forbid anyone gets into such a situation," Lukashenka said.
Recently, the rhetoric of the Ukrainian side towards Belarus has changed dramatically. Representatives of Ukraine have repeatedly threatened that retaliatory strikes, and possibly preventive strikes if the threat from Belarus becomes imminent, will be carried out this time. "The Defense Forces of Ukraine, the Security Forces, and our special services know what the threats are and how to react – how to react justly, without doubt," stated Volodymyr Zelensky.
Robert Brovdi, head of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, was even more blunt: "To the Minsk gauleiter Lukashesku," he wrote on Facebook. "The first 500 targets are already on the pencil. Free and very practical advice: do not get in Ukraine's way."
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