Authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday defended Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in an interview with The Associated Press in Minsk, but said he did not expect the 10-week conflict to be “It will continue like this.”

also spoke against the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, but declined to say whether President Vladimir Putin had any plans to launch such an attack.

Lukashenko pointed out that Moscow, which launched an invasion of Ukraine on February 24 – partly from its territory – needs to act because Kyiv is “stirring up Russia”.

“But I have never been in trouble to say whether it is happening according to plan, as the Russians say, or as far as I can see, “he said in a nearly 90 -minute interview at the Independence Palace in Minsk.” I want to insist again: it seems to me that this operation has been extended . “

Lukashenko’s support for the war has garnered international criticism and sanctions against Minsk. Some Russian troops were sent from the territory of Belarus to Ukraine, and Lukashenko publicly supported his old ally, who injected billions of dollars to promote its Soviet style, state -controlled economy using cheap energy and loans.

But speaking to the AP, Lukashenko said he and his country were in favor of peace and repeatedly called for an end to the “war”. term the Kremlin refuses to usecalled the invasion as a “special military operation”.

“We categorically reject any war. We have done and are doing everything possible for no war. Thank you to your servant, I mean, me, the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have already begun,” he added.

Lukashenko said that the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine is “unacceptable because it is on our side, we are not overseas like the United States.”

“It’s also unacceptable because it can eject the globe from its orbit to who knows where,” he said. “Whether or not Russia can do that … is a question that needs to be asked of the Russian leadership.”

“We categorically reject any war. We have done and are doing everything for no war. Thank you, that is, to me, the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have begun. “

Alexander Lukashenko

President of Belarus

Russia “by definition, cannot be lost in this war,” Lukashenko said, noting that Belarus is the only country standing next to Moscow, while “as many as 50 states have joined forces” on the side of Ukraine.

He added that Putin was not looking for a direct conflict with NATO and that The West must make sure this does not happen.

general showdown

“He probably doesn’t want a global confrontation with NATO. Use that. Use it and do everything possible to keep it from happening. Otherwise, even if Putin does not want to, the military will react, “the Belarusian leader warned.

Lukashenko, 67, called Putin a “eldest brother” and said the Russian leader had “no closer, more open or friendly relations with any other world leader than the president of Belarus.”

Their relationship has been particularly close in recent times, but in recent years it has been rocky.

Before the controversial 2020 elections sparked widespread protests and Lukashenko’s internal repression, he often accused the Kremlin of forcing him to relinquish control of important economic assets and give up his country’s independence.

Faced with harsh economic sanctions imposed after the brutal crackdown on protests, the Belarusian leader began to insist on the need to collectively counter Western pressure and met regularly with Putin, highlighting their close relationship.

However, Lukashenko’s support for the invasion of Ukraine did not reach the deployment of its own troops in combatand on Thursday told the AP that Minsk posed no threat to its neighbors, even as its armed forces conducted military exercises this week.

“We’re not bullying anyone and we’re not bullying and we’re not bullying either. Also, we cannot threaten. We know who is against us, so provoking some kind of conflict, some kind of war here … does not benefit the state of Belarus. So it’s easy for the West to fall asleep“, he assured.

He blamed the West – especially Washington – in the stimulation of conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

“The United States wants to seize the moment, tie up its allies, and drown Russia in the war with Ukraine. This is your goal: finish Russia and then China“, he said.

Lukashenko said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was taking orders from the United States.

“Now Zelensky is not running Ukraine … no offense. That’s my view, maybe I’m wrong,” Lukashenko said, adding that if US President Joe Biden had said, “everything would stop in a week. “

By Ian Phillips, Associated Press, from Minsk

Translation: Elisa Carnelli

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