December 17, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka warned about the possible escalation of Russia’s war in Ukraine into a global conflict as he spoke to US journalist Greta Van Suteren of Newsmax TV on December 13.
The interview took place following talks in Minsk with her husband, Joan Coale, who serves as US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Belarus.
Both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin want peace, “but their views on how the war should end differ,” Łukašenka said.
“If Ukraine believes it can defeat Russia and is prepared to continue fighting, then let it fight. But from my point of view, [U.S. President Donald] Trump believes that if the war continues, Ukraine will disappear from the map altogether and cease to exist,” he said, according to a video released by his press office.
“But the most dangerous thing is that if the conflict and the escalation continue, it could end badly for Europe and the world. It would inevitably escalate into some global conflict. That is why it must be extinguished while it is still possible. Now, more than ever, there is such an opportunity, with the Americans seriously involved in this issue,” the Belarusian ruler added.
Łukašenka stressed that much now depends on the position of Washington and Trump, adding that it was important for the US president not to back away from the issue.
In February 2022, Russia started a full-scale war against Ukraine in which the Belarusian authorities supported the Kremlin, allowing Russian troops to attack Ukraine from Belarus on multiple occasions and supplying arms to Moscow.
