Lukashenko says Belarus to not join Russia-Ukraine war

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said that he repeatedly discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin the importance of keeping Belarus out of the war between Russia and Ukraine, arguing that direct involvement would be detrimental to both Belarus and Russia.

In an interview with Al Arabiya television, published by the Belarusian presidential administration, Lukashenko said Putin agreed that Belarus entering the conflict would “do more harm than good.”

The Belarusian leader outlined several reasons why his country should not participate in military operations. First, he cited Belarus’s military vulnerability, noting that the country’s critical infrastructure could become a target.

“Belarus is fully exposed to the Ukrainian military,” Lukashenko said. “We understand that our key industrial and logistical facilities would come under attack.”

He also pointed to domestic opposition to war, saying that Belarusians do not support involvement in the conflict and that military participation would lead to unnecessary casualties.

“We understand that many of our soldiers would die. For what? Why should they die?” he said.

Lukashenko further argued that Belarus’s entry into the war would significantly expand the front line by approximately 1,500 kilometres, creating additional military challenges.

“Given the current course of the war, neither we nor the Russians would be able to effectively defend this section,” he said.

The Belarusian president also emphasiaed the close social and family ties between Belarusians and Ukrainians, particularly in regions along the shared border. He said these connections make the prospect of direct conflict especially difficult to justify.

“Families of Belarusians live in Ukraine, and families of Ukrainians live in Belarus,” Lukashenko said. “There are mixed families who married, raised children, and lived normal lives. Even my own ancestors’ roots are somewhere between Chernihiv and Kyiv. How can we simply forget all of that and start fighting?”

By Sabina Mammadli