Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko opines on what will push Ukrainian authorities to peace talks

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MINSK, 24 November (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko told the Russian TV channel Zvezda what would push the Ukrainian authorities to peace talks, BelTA informs.

“Guys [the authorities of Ukraine], sit down at the negotiating table,” the Belarusian head of state said.

He drew attention to the fact that these days President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky is in a better situation than many of his compatriots. “He appeared wearing this T-shirt, something else, this fleece jacket that seemed to be unwashed for a long time, he greeted someone, shook hands with someone and they provided him with HIMARS worth two hundred million dollars or some Javelins. It’s easier for him: he has enough food to eat, he probably does not suffer from the blackout and so on. At the same time millions of people in Ukraine suffer,” the president of Belarus said on the sidelines of the CSTO summit in Yerevan.

He also drew attention to the fact that hostilities are taking place in the territory of Ukraine and in a year or two people will start blaming Volodymyr Zelensky for this: “The war, conflict is on his territory. Look, in a year or two people will start saying that the war is his fault. The question here is not who is right and who is wrong, but why there is a war going on in his territory?!”

“Therefore, this situation will push the leadership of Ukraine, if they are sensible people, to sit down at the negotiating table,” the head of state said.

A reminder, in his speech at the CSTO summit the president of Belarus mentioned the conflict in Ukraine. “Western countries have accused us of all mortal sins. They are trying very hard to draw Belarus into the conflict, although they themselves are ‘up to their neck’ in it. Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are being trained at their training grounds under NATO programs. Kiev is provided with Western weapons and military hardware,” the Belarusian leader said. “What is it if not direct involvement in the conflict? How to understand the NATO secretary general who said that Russia's victory would mean NATO's defeat?"

He compared the events in Ukraine with a tornado gaining strength, which draws an increasing number of countries into its funnel and creates new problems. "We need to stop the bloodshed and start peace negotiations. The question is, will Ukraine be allowed to sit down at the negotiating table?" the head of state said.

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