Lead

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has reiterated that Belarus seeks peace in Ukraine and does not want confrontation, while also revealing recent contacts with representatives of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. Speaking at various meetings, Lukashenko stressed that Belarus has enough land and resources and needs "peace and only peace," but on fair terms and with hard guarantees against deception.

Coverage comparison

TASS, the Russian state news agency, reported the Belarusian leader's statements in three separate articles. One article quoted Lukashenko at a ceremony honoring graduates of military academies, where he spoke about a global "party of war" seeking to prolong the armed conflict in Ukraine. Another covered a meeting with Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyov, where Lukashenko said that Ukraine today is merely a "bargaining chip in a larger geopolitical game." A third TASS compilation summarized Lukashenko's key statements, including his account of a recent meeting with Zelensky's representatives in Minsk.

Key claims

Meeting with Zelensky's representatives

Lukashenko said that representatives of Vladimir Zelensky recently visited him in Minsk. He told them bluntly: "Guys, tell your president that if he thinks he can talk to us like this and drag us into a war, then he should understand that the nature of the war will change instantly. This war will be completely different." According to Lukashenko, they received an answer: "the president and they understand this."

Call for negotiations

Lukashenko urged Ukraine to negotiate rather than "posture." "Let's negotiate, guys. It is necessary to negotiate substantially. No need to 'posture,' no need to make a big show of things," he said.

Belarus's stance on war

"We do not need a war. We have enough land, enough economic resources, and enough problems. Therefore, we don't want any confrontation and see no reason to 'stir the pot' here," Lukashenko said at the meeting with Vorobyov. He added that his position was clear and that he had never concealed it: "Peace, and only peace."

However, he insisted that peace must come with a "hard guarantee" that the collective West will not "toy with us" and will not manage to deceive Belarus again, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has noted. "Because any deception on the Russia front would directly hit Belarus. We are positioned on the front edge of our Fatherland, and we are fully aware of that," he said.

Lukashenko also described Ukraine as "merely a bargaining chip in a larger geopolitical game."

Relations with Russia

Lukashenko reaffirmed that Belarus will stand by Russia "come hell or high water." "It cannot be otherwise. We understand what might happen if the West gets involved again," he said.

The global 'party of war' and EU militarization

Speaking at a ceremony honoring graduates of military academies, Lukashenko said that the global "party of war" is making every effort to prolong the armed confrontation in Ukraine. He noted that the Ukraine conflict remains a key hotspot in the region. He reiterated that Belarus, which he said is detested by certain Western politicians for its independent course, does not need war. "We favor finding peaceful solutions to issues. But, as I said, the international 'party of war' opposes that," he explained.

Lukashenko also criticized the European Union for what he called hypocritical declarations of peace while pursuing militarization, which he said effectively means NATO. "Billions are being spent on purchasing strike and offensive weapons," he said. He also complained about a continued hybrid war against Belarus using economic pressure, political and information campaigns, blackmail, and provocations on the country's southern borders.