Opinions & Interviews
Belarus president talks about possible results of presidential election in Ukraine
MINSK, 8 April (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko granted an interview to Turkey’s largest news agency Anadolu on 8 April. Possible results of the presidential election in Ukraine were mentioned among other things, BelTA has learned.
Belarus’ stance on the conflict in Ukraine was discussed during the interview. Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke his mind about the negotiations that had been going for several years already and mentioned prospects of Belarus’ further participation in efforts to resolve the conflict.
The parties could not but talk about the presidential election in Ukraine. During the Big Conversation with the President on 1 March Aleksandr Lukashenko stated that the current Ukrainian head of state Petro Poroshenko would win the election. After results of the first round of the presidential election many people, including reporters, wondered whether Aleksandr Lukashenko still maintained the same view.
The Belarusian leader stated: “Nobody won anything over there. Zelensky is in the lead after the first round. Poroshenko is behind him. Nobody can dare predict results of the second round. I am inclined to believe after all that Poroshenko will win this presidential election.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted he was not going to analyze and compare the two candidates. “I know one of them very well. I’ve seen the second one only in movies. I don’t know him as a politician. But Petro Poroshenko and I had a friend in common once – Mikheil Saakashvili. When Saakashvili was the president [of Georgia] and was organizing an election, he amended the constitution and did something else, they started messing with the nation. In the end he had to flee Georgia and hide in other countries. If Poroshenko doesn’t want to climb to the roof and from rooftops call upon Ukrainians to protect him, he will do everything for Ukrainians to support him. He has to do everything for the nation to support him,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
A popular opinion in Ukraine says that there are no worthy candidates and many citizens vote for Volodymyr Zelensky as a form of protest. Aleksandr Lukashenko offered his view on what people should do in this situation. “I beg Ukrainians’ forgiveness but I would like to tell them: if there are no worthy candidates, then you shouldn’t vote. Why do you have to vote for a man you are not confident in? Ukrainians had to endure such a bumpy ride in politics in the last few years. They are already fed up with incomprehensible promises. They’ve taken risks to put their trust in politicians and support them many times. But things took the wrong turn every time. The experience of the Ukrainian nation in the last few years indicates that one cannot take risks. If it seems there are no worthy candidates, then a repeat election is the way to go. It seems to me it is a better option than risking one more time and casting their votes only to feel remorse for ten or more years afterwards,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
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