Александр Лукашенко и пророссийская украинская журналистка Диана Панченко
In an interview with Diana Panchenko, a Ukrainian pro-Russian journalist, Alaksandar Łukašenka appealed to Kyiv to enter into talks with Russia without preconditions, but outlined conditions set by the Kremlin. The Belarusian ruler casts himself as a peace broker. He pushes for freezing the Ukraine conflict, hoping to avoid justice as a co-aggressor.
Analysts say that Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks a reprieve to replenish the arsenal.
Moscow, Minsk looking to seize an opportunity
The Belarusian leader portrayed Putin as the one who worries the most about Ukraine. “This is a big lesson not only for Ukraine – what is going on – but also for Russia.”
He claimed that Russia has achieved the objectives of the so-called “special military operation,” using the term coined and enforced by Russian officials.
“We haven’t discussed the topic with him [Putin] in such terms, but I dare to express my position: the objectives of the special military operation have been achieved as of today.”
Certainly, he would not have made that statement without Moscow’s blessing.
The Belarusian leader outlined Russia’s position. “Of course, Russia will never in its life go as far as, like you say, to give back Crimea. It will not happen. I doubt for now that a deal is also possible here, in the east [of Ukraine]. But Russia is ready to discuss any topic.”
Moscow and Minsk see an opportunity. The Ukrainian offensive has made little progress with big casualties reported for Ukraine. Kyiv is short of air power as Washington drags its feet on a deal to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighters. Leopard main battle tanks supplied to Ukraine are not exactly as impregnable as advertised. Moreover, Ukraine’s human resources are much smaller than Russia’s.
In Europe, some voters are already starting to feel the pain of support for Ukraine and sanctions. Łukašenka often makes that point.
Moreover, influential politicians in Europe and even the United States fear that Russia’s crushing defeat may lead to chaos, and its nuclear weapons may end up in wrong hands.
Putin needs a break to put the economy on a war footing and replenish the stockpiles of missiles and other weapons. Łukašenka advances Putin’s interests and hopes to benefit from it.
Louds Putin, smears Zelensky
In the interview filmed on August 16 in Minsk, Łukašenka heaped praises on Putin and belittled Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky.
He claimed that Russian troops failed to capture Kyiv only because Putin refused to attack kindergartens, schools and hospitals, where Ukrainians hid their multiple-rocket launch systems.
He claimed that Zelensky was hiding in a bunker as Russian troops stormed Kyiv, as if the Ukrainian president was supposed to be with soldiers on the frontline. It goes without saying that Zelensky’s decision to stay in Kyiv lifted soldiers.
Łukašenka clearly envies Zelensky whom he often portrays as an inexperienced young politician in contrast to himself. He said that Zelensky is not the right man for the job, although the Ukrainian president’s approval rating is much higher than Łukašenka can possibly dream of.
Blames Ukraine for Russian invasion
Łukašenka has persistently blamed Ukraine for the Russian invasion. In the interview, he said that Ukraine has misbehaved since the time Leonid Kuchma was its president. “It should have behaved itself properly and should not have created us problems,” he noted. “Us” was probably a reference to Putin and himself.
This is the argument of a rapist who says the victim provoked him. Discontent with Ukraine’s internal policy is not a valid reason to start a war. If it were a valid reason, the world would be permanently in war.
Interestingly, Łukašenka insists that Putin did not inform him of his plan to attack Ukraine from Belarus.
Shortly before the invasion, the Russian president just said vaguely, “God forbid, if something happens, cover my back,” Łukašenka recalled.
He said that Russian equipment was being loaded on trains in February 2022 after the joint exercise. “You should ask Zelensky why Putin started to withdraw his troops through Kyiv to Far East.”
Recalling the start of the war, he said that Ukraine had deployed four Tochka-U missile units near Belarus.
“We were watching them, our intelligence. They [Ukrainian soldiers] came over, then took, roughly speaking, the canvas off the missiles. Then put the missiles in combat position. Then pointed the missiles at us.”
Naturally, Ukrainians put the missiles on stand-by because Americans had warned Kyiv that Russia planned to attack. The missiles were stationed on sovereign Ukrainian territory.
When Russia massed troops for the invasion, Moscow said that it was Russia’s territory and we are free to do what we want on our ground.
Łukašenka frequently conducts drills near Poland and Lithuania, involving the removal of canvas from cannons. NATO is rightfully concerned, but it has not attacked Minsk.
The Belarusian ruler’s explanation is primitive. Probably, old village ladies can buy it.
That Putin did not inform him of the planned onslaught only proves that the Kremlin treats him as a puppet.
Anyway, he must have been aware that Russia had deployed several-fold more troops and equipment than required for routine maneuvers.