In a lengthy interview with the news agency AP, he defends the Russian invasion, but he says he did not expect it to “go out in this way”.
Unacceptable with nuclear weapons
The authoritarian Belarusian leader stressed that he thought it would be “unacceptable” to use nuclear weapons, but said he did not know if Russia had such plans or not.
– Not only is the use of nuclear weapons unacceptable because it is right next to us – because we are not on the other side of the ocean like the United States. It is also unacceptable because it can send the globe out of orbit until the gods know where, Lukashenko told the Associated Press.
– But whether Russia is able to do that – it is a question you have to ask the Russian leadership, he continues.
– Does not want confrontation with NATO
However, he is skeptical that Putin will use nuclear weapons because it will mean an open confrontation with NATO.
He (Vladimir Putin, journ. Note) probably does not want a global confrontation with NATO. Everything must be done to prevent this from happening. Even if Putin wants it, the military will respond, Lukashenko said.
The AP met him at the Presidential Palace in Minsk. According to the news agency, the interview lasted 90 minutes.
– But I am not deep enough in this issue to be able to say whether it is going according to plan, as the Russians say, or as I feel it. I want to emphasize once again, I think this operation has dragged out in time, says Lukashenko.
– Do everything we can
In the interview, Lukashenko accuses Ukraine of “provoking Russia” and swears that Belarus stands for peace.
– We are categorically opposed to any war. We have done and are doing everything now to make sure there is no war. Thanks to the undersigned, ie me, Ukraine and Russia have started negotiations, says Lukashenko.
– But why is Ukraine, which in practice has an ongoing war on its territory with military actions where people die, why is Ukraine not interested in these negotiations, he asks.
Can sleep well at night
Mr Lukashenko has given public support to the Russian operation, and in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in March, he claimed that Ukraine had plans to attack Belarus.
Russia deployed forces on Belarusian territory under the guise of a military exercise, before sending them into Ukraine as part of the February 24 invasion.
Belarus also launched a military exercise earlier this week, but Mr Lukashenko assured the Associated Press that he was not threatening anyone.
– We do not threaten anyone and we will not threaten and will not do so. We can not threaten, we know who is against us, so to start some kind of conflict, some kind of war here in the West, is certainly not in Belarus’ interest. The West can sleep safely, says Lukashenko.
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