Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko: Demands on withdrawal of PMC Wagner from Belarus are groundless, stupid

MINSK, 31 August (BelTA) – The demands of the leadership of Poland and the Baltic states on the withdrawal of PMC Wagner from Belarus are unreasonable and stupid, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting of the Security Council, BelTA has learned.

The president noted that the leadership of Poland and the Baltic countries is whipping up hysteria over the deployment of PMC Wagner members on the territory of Belarus. “They went as far as to demand their immediate withdrawal from Belarus. At the same time, they themselves are increasing military budgets, amassing large military formations at our border,” he noted. “Everything is simple: neither Poland, nor Lithuania or other Baltic countries should have a single foreign military officer or soldier on their territory. Only in this case they have the right to protest against the presence of the military from other countries here. Otherwise, these are unreasonable and stupid demands (not even requests and proposals, but demands),” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

In addition to that, in April Warsaw announced its decision to suspend its Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty obligations in relation to our country, though this is actually the last legally binding international document in the field of arms control. “This is already a dangerous step, and we should keep reminding Poland’s leadership about this - so that their decisions will not come back to hurt them,” the Belarusian leader said.

“How should we respond to this? I’m not even talking about training of our self-exiled opposition on their territory for a military coup in Belarus. I want to warn once again that we will not hesitate to respond. Though, credit where credit is due, our self-exiled opposition members in Poland, Lithuania and especially in Ukraine understand what for they are being used,” the president added.

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