December 16, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka spoke with Newsmax journalist Greta Van Susteren three days ago, following talks in Minsk with her husband, John Coale, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Belarus.
In the interview, the Belarusian ruler compared Washington’s interest in Venezuela to Russia’s interest in Ukraine.
“I am absolutely convinced that all issues, all wishes of the United States of America can be resolved today in an absolutely peaceful way,” his press office quoted him as saying. “War will lead nowhere. . . I spoke to John Coale about this. I told him this would be a second Vietnam. Do you need that? You don’t. So, there is no need to wage war there. It’s possible to reach an agreement.”
“I believe that in the near future we will have the chance to speak on this topic with Donald Trump. I have many interesting things to tell him,” Łukašenka added.
When asked if Belarus was prepared to host Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, he said Maduro had “never been our enemy or adversary” and that Belarus would welcome him if he sought refuge, yet noted that no such discussions had taken place.
Last week, Łukašenka received Jesus Rafael Salazar Velazques, the Venezuelan ambassador in Moscow, shortly after the seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela by the US forces over alleged violations of sanctions.
Maduro faces mounting pressure from Washington amid a US military buildup in the Caribbean and strikes on small Venezuelan vessels accused of shipping drugs.
US President Donald Trump had said he had not ruled out deploying ground forces to the South American country. Washington accused the Venezuelan ruler of involvement in drug trafficking, an allegation he denied.
