{"id":207758,"date":"2026-10-16T16:36:39","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T13:36:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/207758\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T16:36:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T13:36:41","slug":"russia-can-fight-on-but-it-is-exhausted-lukasenka-says","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/207758\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia can fight on, but it is exhausted, \u0141uka\u0161enka says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Belarusian leader's press office)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

October 16, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Russia can continue fighting for a long time, but it is severely exhausted and its economy has been badly affected, Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka said on Friday during a visit to the Vierchniad\u017avinsk district, Viciebsk region, in a rare public admission of the war impact on his ally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both Ukraine and Russia want to end the war because of its negative consequences for both countries, \u0141uka\u0161enka was quoted as saying by state media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, Russia is stronger, more resilient, it can continue fighting for a long time,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the exhaustion is still very severe, and the impact on the economy is enormous, as you can see as well. Who enjoys and needs this? The Russians understand this, they are ready for peace. For Ukrainians, if they do not go for a peaceful settlement this year, next year it will be even harder, and later it will become impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to \u0141uka\u0161enka, the United States is \u201chinting\u201d that it is ready to lift its sanctions against Russia. However, if Moscow does not reach a deal with Kyiv, \u201cit will be even harder next year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Various factors are weighing on both Russia and Ukraine and pushing them toward peace, \u201cbecause it is impossible to continue such warfare,\u201d \u0141uka\u0161enka said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stressed that peace was also necessary \u201cfor humanitarian, humane reasons\u201d and pledged to \u201cdo everything\u201d to achieve it. \u201cAll wars end in peace, that\u2019s why it\u2019s better sooner than later,\u201d he added, without mentioning Belarus\u2019 support for Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka has repeatedly called on Ukraine to accept a peace deal on Russia\u2019s terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with the Belarusian authorities siding with the Kremlin. They allowed Russian troops to attack Ukraine from Belarusian territory on multiple occasions, supplied weapons to Moscow and provided other forms of assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking at a conference on Tuesday, Belarus\u2019 pro-democracy leader Sviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja stressed that \u0141uka\u0161enka \u201cbears full responsibility for all the crimes he has committed together with Putin\u201d and should not be portrayed as a \u201cvictim.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recalling \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s refusal to recognize her victory in the 2020 presidential election and step down, Cichano\u016dskaja accused him of deliberately \u201cpaying [Russian President Vladimir] Putin with Belarusian sovereignty for the Russian support that allowed him to stay in power.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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