Lukashenko warns Belarus will join Russia in war if attacked

Few people are as familiar with Vladimir Putin as Alexander Lukashenko. The authoritarian ruler of Belarus is a staunch supporter of the “special military operation,” as Mr. Putin refers to it, which is what the majority of the rest of the world refers to as Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.

Mr. Putin hasn’t had a conversation with Western journalists since his extensive invasion of Ukraine a year ago. Nonetheless, Mr. Lukashenko answered questions from a select number of foreign media, including the BBC, today in Minsk.

There has been a rise in military cooperation between Russia and Belarus, as evidenced by joint exercises and the creation of a combined military organisation. Yet, up to this point, the president of Belarus has refrained from sending his troops into Ukraine to fight with Russian forces.

Alexander Lukashenko is not recognised as the rightful leader of Belarus by the UK, EU, or the US. Belarusians flocked to the streets in 2020 to protest him for allegedly stealing the nation’s presidential election. The demonstrations were mercilessly put down.

Using the incident on Thursday, Mr. Lukashenko accused the West of starting the war in Ukraine.

He made accusations against Western nations for escalating the situation and displayed some Putinesque nuclear sabre-rattling.

Having facilitated the Russian invasion of Ukraine one year ago, the Belarusian leader now claims he can help negotiate peace.

Mr Lukashenko suggested that next week would be a good time to start, with US President Joe Biden due to visit Poland.

“I invite [President Biden] to Belarus,” Mr Lukashenko said. “It’s not far from Warsaw, Thirty minutes and he’ll be in Minsk. He could land his plane here. I will persuade the president of Russia to come. I invite him too to Minsk, as well as Biden. We will sit down and reach an agreement.”

It is an invitation the US president is likely to decline. In this war Mr Lukashenko is not seen as an honest broker.

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