US Department of State warns Łukašenka against continued support of Russia’s war on Ukraine

December 20, BPN. The United States is aware of the Alaksandr Łukašenka regime’s complicity in Russia’s war on Ukraine, Ned Price, spokesperson for the US Department of State, told journalists.

“That’s why the Łukašenka regime is now subject to a bevy of sanctions,” he said. “We’ll look for additional means to hold Belarus accountable if it continues to cooperate with the Kremlin in this brutal war.”

The US is “going to continue watching [Belarusian authorities] very closely” as Russia may continue to use Belarus as a launch pad for its war on Ukraine, Price warned.

Vladimir Putin’s denial of intentions to absorb or drag anyone into a war on Russia’s side “has to be treated as the height of irony coming from a leader who is seeking . . . to violently absorb his other peaceful next door neighbor,” Price said.

The US has already seen the Łukašenka regime actually cede its independence by allowing Russian forces into sovereign Belarusian territories, he added.

On February 24, Russia started a full-scale war against Ukraine. Łukašenka admitted that Belarus participated in Russia’s war on Ukraine, but said it was “not killing anyone.”

Authorities in Minsk denied Belarusian army troops’ involvement in combat operations on the Russian side. However, Belarus allowed Russian troops and weapons to move freely through the country, use its airspace, refuel and store military equipment and attack Ukraine from its territory.