Opinions & Interviews

GOMEL, 26 October (BelTA) – Belarus is ready to help resolve the conflict in Ukraine’s east where the conflicting sides mistrust each other. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko made the statement during the plenary session of the 1st Forum of Regions of Belarus and Ukraine in Gomel on 26 October, BelTA has learned.

In his speech the head of state touched upon an issue, which is painful for Ukraine and its neighbors, including Belarus. “It is very important and painful for me personally,” noted Alexander Lukashenko. He explained that his family had come from Ukraine, this is why the country is not foreign to him. “It is a matter of war and peace. I am talking about it because it has been very politicized recently. Belarus is not thousands of kilometers away from this conflict, from the war where innocents perish. The war is really close. It is on our doorstep, in our brothers’ home,” pointed out the head of state. “There is one goal: end the war and keep Ukraine united and indivisible. I know it from the president of Ukraine and, sincerely speaking, from many people involved in this conflict.”

“Let’s be honest, securing an agreement between Russia and Ukraine will not suffice. An agreement can be reached, but it will not be enough. Let’s be honest one more time: they’ve lost trust in each other. This is why in order to be absolutely clear, in order to get Belarus’ point across to our Ukrainian brothers and those, who can hear us, in order to avoid all kinds of speculations, I would like to say it plainly: we are ready to get involved in this conflict where things are difficult, where there is no trust where should be some. We are ready to do it for one and only goal: peace. In my opinion, this problem has to be resolved by our three Slavonic nations. It is our sorrow. Not Europeans, Americans, or someone else. We should be the ones to resolve this problem in order to prevent it from simmering on the backburner like some other hot spots in the ex-USSR do,” Alexander Lukashenko is convinced.

“The Republic of Belarus is ready to work only within the framework of agreements secured by Ukraine and Russia, by the two presidents. Bear in mind: we don’t solicit the role of a peacekeeper or a mediator. I can’t stand it. When the West enforced sanctions against Belarus, we heard a lot of mediation proposals. Everyone rushed to be a mediator between Belarus and the West. I turned down those mediators because I tolerate no mediation. Belarus cannot and will not do any peacemaking if the two presidents don’t want it,” stressed the head of state.

Alexander Lukashenko once again pointed out that if Belarus has to be involved in resolving the conflict, it will act only bearing in mind agreements of the Ukrainian side and the Russian one. “Russians and Ukrainians are not foreigners for us. They are our people,” said the president. Alexander Lukashenko went on saying that the future generations must not inherit the conflict in Ukraine. “It would be a crime of our generation before those, who will come after us,” he stressed.

According to Alexander Lukashenko, the Ukrainian side has received a warm welcome during the forum of regions in Gomel. It is impossible to fake this attitude. “It is my attitude, the attitude of municipal government agencies, and, best of all, the attitude of Belarusians to you. We are extremely worried for you,” he told the Ukrainian guests. “We would like this blessed land with its rich resources and extremely hardworking people to flourish. And it will.”

The head of state noted that wars always end sooner or later and history is the witness of that. “But why can’t we end these conflicts faster, as soon as possible?” he wondered. “I couldn’t but raise the matter because Belarus had been pushed into this problem from all sides. And I want you to know our attitude: if we enter Ukraine from the north – I would like some Ukrainian military to hear me – we will be driving harvesters, tractors, trolleybuses, and buses. We will never be driving tanks into Ukraine.”

“We don’t ask to be mediators or peacemakers. We just worry for you. If we can do something for you, we are ready to do it. I hate when some try to use Ukraine as a bargaining chip. Ukraine will always be powerful, prosperous and united, but one needs to know how to negotiate. Today it is necessary to end this fratricidal war and we are at your service,” concluded the Belarusian leader.