Lukashenko has softened his rhetoric toward Zelenskyy, but has set a condition
16 June 07:48
Belarus’s self-proclaimed president, Alexander Lukashenko, stated that he may have “gone too far” in his remarks directed at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the same time, he attempted to justify his rhetoric by citing alleged “threats” from Kyiv.
Lukashenko made these remarks in an interview with Al Arabiya TV. Excerpts from the conversation were published by the Belarusian state news agency BELTA, reports "Komersant Ukrainian"
What Lukashenko said about Zelensky
Lukashenko stated that his harsh words regarding Zelenskyy were a reaction to statements by the Ukrainian side about potential targets on Belarusian territory.
According to him, he did not respond to such reports for some time, but later decided to respond.
“Perhaps I went a bit too far, but it was a response to his baseless statements,” Lukashenko said.
He claims that Kyiv allegedly spoke of hundreds of targets in Belarus and the possibility of strikes with missiles and drones. At the same time, Lukashenko stated that he initially “remained silent,” explaining this by the fact that Zelenskyy is under the pressure of war.
Lukashenko apologized to Zelensky
In the same interview, Lukashenko stated that he is ready to apologize to the President of Ukraine if the latter took offense at his words.
“If Volodymyr Oleksandrovych was offended, I apologize to him for those words. Perhaps I shouldn’t have said them, considering that he is, after all, at war. Perhaps I shouldn’t have spoken so harshly about it,” Lukashenko said.
At the same time, he added that, in his opinion, Zelenskyy should be “more careful and cautious.”
Lukashenko reiterated that Belarus will not go to war against Ukraine
Separately, Lukashenko reiterated that Ukraine allegedly should not expect military action from Belarus.
He stated that “on the part of Belarus” and personally on his part, “no military action should be expected.”
Lukashenko also called on Zelenskyy to “calm down” and “not provoke the Belarusians.”
What preceded Lukashenko’s statements
In late May, Lukashenko responded to a statement by Robert Brovdi, commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Unmanned Systems Forces, known as “Madyar,” that the Ukrainian military had identified 500 targets on Belarusian territory in case Minsk entered the war against Ukraine.
In response, Lukashenko threatened to strike a single “very serious” target in Ukraine, the coordinates of which the Belarusian side allegedly possesses.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia is considering scenarios for expanding the war against Ukraine from the north, specifically involving Belarusian territory. Because of this, Ukrainian forces must reinforce the Chernihiv-Kyiv sector.
Lukashenko Recalled 2022
During the interview, Lukashenko also returned to the events of 2022. He claimed that at that time, he had allegedly offered Ukraine terms for peace.
According to him, if Kyiv had agreed to those proposals back then, there would allegedly be no debate now about exactly where the ceasefire line should run.
Lukashenko’s statements should be viewed in the context of his longstanding rhetoric regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine and his attempts to shift the blame for the escalation onto Kyiv.
Why Lukashenko’s statements matter
Belarus remains a key ally of Russia in the war against Ukraine. It was from Belarusian territory that Russian troops advanced into the Kyiv region in February 2022.
Although Minsk has repeatedly stated its unwillingness to directly enter the war, Ukraine continues to view the Belarusian direction as a potential threat. This is due to military cooperation between Belarus and Russia, joint exercises, and the use of Belarusian infrastructure in Moscow’s interests.
What Lukashenko’s apology means
Lukashenko’s apology can be seen as an attempt to soften his tone following previous threats. At the same time, his remarks still contain accusations against the Ukrainian authorities and calls for Zelenskyy “not to provoke” Belarus.
Such rhetoric allows Lukashenko to simultaneously demonstrate an alleged reluctance to engage in direct war with Ukraine while maintaining the image of an ally of Russia who is ready to respond to any actions by Kyiv.
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