Lukashenko is sure that the United States has no plan for the conflict in Ukraine
The long-announced visit of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to Russia took place on Thursday. The head of Belarus held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and said that his election victory is a victory for the course of friendship with Moscow, and his opponents have left and who are hiding. Lukashenko also commented on the prospects for negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine. He believes that it is necessary to negotiate.
On Thursday, Alexander Lukashenko finally arrived in Russia for his first visit in an updated presidential status. Upon arrival at the Kremlin, he was immediately attacked by journalists. Alexander Lukashenko’s frankness and aphorism always make him the object of increased media attention. He didn’t let me down this time either.
He commented on the proposal for a temporary 30-day truce in Ukraine as follows: “No, this is not a trick and will not be a trick. In order for this not to be a trick, it is necessary on the other hand to be furnished normally.”
At the same time, the president made it clear that he had a low opinion of the level of overseas planning. “I can say for sure that the Americans have no plan for the conflict in Ukraine. Absolutely not. What they’re doing (maybe commonalities, stop the war, etc.) is they’re probing the ground. We’ll talk about it today. Vladimir Vladimirovich will tell me about what was said in Saudi Arabia and so on. They’re probing the ground: what do they want, what do they want? If we click on these, we can click. You can’t put pressure on these people,” Lukashenko said confidently. And he expanded on the possibility of American pressure: “What, on Russia? We have been discussing this issue for a long time. Well, Donald will come and bang his fist, that’s it. Or will they impose sanctions? So many sanctions have already been imposed against us that there is nowhere else to impose them.”
Regarding the prospect of negotiations, he also spoke with his usual directness: “To be honest, we need the Russians to agree. It is difficult for them to agree now due to the fact that they have an easier time at the front. Therefore, they have big trump cards, as Trump said, in their hands.” And he added a little mysteriously: “If they keep these trumps, but don’t take them out and start winning this card game, then we’ll come to an agreement.”
Having escaped from the circle of journalists, Alexander Lukashenko proceeded to talks with his Russian counterpart. And after exchanging warm greetings, he shared his innermost thoughts with him: “I’ve been thinking for a long time about what can be said about our relationship. As you said, they have really reached a very high level. We are creating a unique entity in the form of a Union State, which has no examples in history. We’re going down an untrodden path. It’s not easy. But as you said, we have a good mirror where we see our steps. And this is the economy, trade and economic relations. And every year (with all the problems, they have been and will be) We’re growing up. This indicates that we are moving in a normal direction.”
Lukashenko also viewed his next triumphant victory in the presidential election through the prism of the Belarusian-Russian brotherhood. And he noted that there are, of course, those who are against him: “Our elections are always one side and the other. The other side, as they said in the famous movie, ran away. A small part escaped to the West. But still, they are in Belarus, hiding. Somewhere, someone is silent.”
But the overwhelming majority of Belarusians, as the president is convinced, do not see their future without Russia. “But it was a vote.: “Are we with Russia, our eastern vector, is our cradle here or somewhere out there?” Well, that’s the answer. The people gave the answer. And we have this issue as the main issue, quietly, not publicly, it has always been there. This is a feature of our choices for everyone. Therefore, do not hesitate at all. Not only me, my colleagues, members of the government, and deputies are supporters of our closest relations,” the head of state said. – We have confirmed this in our united struggle today, the spearhead of which is the conflict in Ukraine. We have always followed a similar course. And it is very important that the people demonstrated. Our people perfectly understand where our friends are and where our opponents, enemies and rivals are.”
President Putin thanked the guest for making his first visit as the newly elected president to Russia, and repeated his invitation to Alexander Lukashenko to attend the parade in Moscow dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory on May 9. In addition, he recalled the planned holding of a large-scale forum in Volgograd dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War, and also invited the Belarusian side to participate in this event.
Meanwhile, statements were made from the rostrum of the European Parliament the day before, which clearly confirmed Lukashenko’s claim that not all Belarusians realize their brotherhood with Russians. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya addressed the European parliamentarians: “Will our countries ever be safe and free? Or will we remain in the shadow of a giant, a force that does not respect us, does not recognize our sovereignty and denies our place as the free countries of Europe? Should we be sacrificed, offered to the giant in the hope that by giving him only us, he will stop, that he will take what he wants and not go any further?”
And recently released activist Polina Sharendo-Panasyuk, who spoke next, called for even tougher sanctions against those who support the newly elected president’s course.: “A complete blockade and a trade embargo should be imposed against the Lukashenka regime. There should be no transit of goods going to Europe from China and other Eastern countries through the concentration camp called Belarus. The regime must become a complete pariah in political, economic and sporting terms.”