President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was giving Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko one week to withdraw Russian military equipment from areas near Ukraine’s border, warning that Ukrainian forces would act if Minsk failed to do so.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Kyiv with Honduran President Nasry Asfura on Friday, Zelensky said Lukashenko’s repeated claims that he does not want Belarus drawn into the war contradict the role Belarus continues to play in supporting Russia’s military campaign.
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
“When Mr. Lukashenko says he does not want to be drawn into the war, he should be honest, at least with his own people,” Zelensky said, according to Interfax-Ukraine.
“It is not him personally who may be drawn into the war. The entire country can be dragged into it by Russia.”
Zelensky recalled that Russian missiles were launched from Belarusian territory during the opening stages of Moscow’s full-scale invasion.
“From the first days of this war, missiles were flying from Belarus, killing children and adults,” he said.
Zelensky emphasized that Russia is continuing to use Belarusian territory to facilitate attacks on Ukraine and accused Minsk of allowing military infrastructure that helps direct strikes against civilians.
“On his territory, along two regions bordering Ukraine, there is equipment that adjusts fire against the Ukrainian population – civilians. There are relay systems on those towers. If he does not want to be in this war, let him remove that equipment and switch it off.”
Zelensky Reportedly Asks Brazil’s Lula to Help Push Peace Talks
Zelensky said one week should be sufficient for Belarus to take such measures.
“I think one week is enough for him to do it,” he said. “Why one week? Because every day our civilians are dying because of this. Children are being wounded. If he does not do it, we will.”
The president also accused Belarus of continuing to support Russia’s war effort through fuel supplies. He said Belarus remains one of the main suppliers of petroleum products used by the Russian military and argued that Lukashenko has the power to halt those deliveries if he chooses.
“We are doing everything possible to prevent Russia from selling oil and supplying fuel to its army,” Zelensky said.
“Today Lukashenko, Belarus, is one of the main suppliers for the Russian army. Can this be stopped? I am convinced it is within his power. This is something he controls.”
Zelensky added that Russia would continue trying to pull Belarus deeper into the war but said Lukashenko understands that Ukraine will respond to actions that threaten Ukrainian civilians.
On June 15, Lukashenko ruled out Belarus entering Russia’s war against Ukraine, calling any spillover of the conflict onto his country’s territory absolutely unacceptable.
Lukashenko was asked for a response to Kyiv’s comments that Russia plans to launch a new offensive against Ukraine from Belarusian territory, which he dismissed.
“We have said many times that it is absolutely unacceptable for the war between Ukraine and Russia to spill over onto the territory of Belarus for various reasons,” Lukashenko said, adding that he discussed the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“And I tell you sincerely, I can tell you verbatim what the Russian president told me,” he continued, explaining that the question was resolved. “Yes, [Putin] says we understand that Belarus’s entry into the war, in any capacity, is unacceptable.”
As for the reasons why, Lukashenko said that his country has already suffered enough throughout history, going as far as admitting Belarus’s current military vulnerability: “Should Ukraine begin attacking, Belarus is laid out like an open palm before the Ukrainian military,” he said, saying that the country seeks to avoid any direct involvement in the conflict.
You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter
