Lukashenko Apologizes to Zelenskyy, Says Entering War Would Harm Belarus
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has apologized to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for past remarks and reiterated that Belarus will not join the Russia-Ukraine war, citing military risks. He stated Belarus poses no direct threat to Ukraine but warned Zelensky to avoid escalation. Sources confirm his stance on neutrality, though tensions with the West persist over conscription policies. His comments mark a rare public break from Putin’s alignment.
What changed
Lukashenko’s apology to Zelensky and explicit denial of Belarusian military involvement in the war are new, though his earlier neutrality stance was previously reported.
Live updates
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Lukashenko apologizes to Zelensky, reaffirms Belarus neutrality in Ukraine war
confidence 92%Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has apologized to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for past remarks and reiterated that Belarus will not join the Russia-Ukraine war, citing military risks. He stated Belarus poses no direct threat to Ukraine but warned Zelensky to avoid escalation. Sources confirm his stance on neutrality, though tensions with the West persist over conscription policies. His comments mark a rare public break from Putin’s alignment.
What's confirmed:
- Lukashenko apologized to Zelensky for previous harsh remarks in an interview with Al Arabiya.
- Belarus will not enter the Russia-Ukraine war due to military vulnerability and risks of escalation.
- Lukashenko stated Belarus poses no military threat to Ukraine.
- A military victory in Ukraine is unrealistic, according to Lukashenko’s latest comments.
- Lukashenko urged Zelensky to 'calm down' while emphasizing Belarus’s neutrality.
Still unconfirmed:
- Lukashenko’s apology may signal a shift in Belarus’s stance toward the West, though no concrete policy changes have been announced.
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Lukashenko apologizes to Zelenskyy, rules out Belarusian military involvement in Ukraine war
confidence 93%Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has publicly apologized to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for past remarks and explicitly stated that Belarus will not enter the Russia-Ukraine war, citing military vulnerability and escalation risks. He emphasized that any spillover of the conflict onto Belarusian territory would harm the country. Sources confirm his stance on neutrality, though tensions with the West over conscription remain.
What's confirmed:
- Alexander Lukashenko publicly apologized to Volodymyr Zelenskyy for past remarks and stated that Belarus will not join Russia’s war against Ukraine.
- Lukashenko called any involvement of Belarus in the Russia-Ukraine war ‘absolutely unacceptable,’ citing military vulnerability and risks of escalation with NATO.
- Belarus poses no military threat to Ukraine, according to Lukashenko’s recent statements.
- Lukashenko warned the West against further militarization and the return to conscription in Belarus, framing it as a cautionary measure.
- Lukashenko acknowledged that Russia has not achieved its goals in Ukraine, attributing this to Putin’s strategy.
Still unconfirmed:
- Lukashenko admitted Belarus is ‘very vulnerable militarily’ in an interview with Al Arabiya, though this claim lacks corroboration beyond a single source.
- Kyiv accused Russia of planning a new offensive from Belarus, but Lukashenko denied any such preparations without providing independent verification.