Russian invasion of Ukraine dragging on longer than expected, blames US for fueling conflict _ Lukashenko
The president of Belarus says he hadn’t expected that Russia’s “special operation” in Ukraine “would take that long.”
Alexander Lukashenko was speaking in an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday.
The Belarusian president said Putin most likely does not want a global confrontation with NATO. He accused the West, especially the US, of fueling the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
He noted that if US President Joe Biden says, “You have done enough fighting, you should stop it now,” the war would stop “within a week.”
Referring to speculation that Russian President Vladimir Putin could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Lukashenko said, “The use of nuclear weapons is unacceptable,” because Ukraine is right next to Belarus. He added, “We are not across the ocean like the United States.”
The Belarusian military recently conducted drills. Some view the move as an attempt to keep Ukrainian forces near the border with Belarus so they will not be deployed in eastern Ukraine.
But Lukashenko rejected this view, saying the exercises were held in Belarus. He added, “We do not threaten anyone and we are not going to and we will not do it.”
On the ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine, Lukashenko said Belarus does not accept any war. He blamed Ukraine for the stalled negotiations.
Lukashenko said, “I know Russia’s position. I know what Russia offers to Ukraine. But why Ukraine, on the territory of which there is actually a war, combat operations, people are dying, is not interested in these negotiations, is another question.” He added that the answer may be found in Washington.
LENS with AP input
