Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated he does not believe the recent attempts by self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko to appear sympathetic towards the Ukrainian people, given that Russia invaded Ukraine from Belarusian territory on 24 February 2022. Mr Zelenskyy made the strong remarks during a press briefing, directly addressing Lukashenko’s recent public statements.
Mr Zelenskyy dismissed the attempts at apparent kindness, declaring: “Lukashenko should not forget, because now he’s become very talkative in the media, trying to show how kind he is to our people. We don’t need his kindness that came with missiles at 04:00.” He stressed that the Ukrainian population has a long memory regarding the source of the full-scale war.
President Zelenskyy issued a clear warning to the Belarusian leader regarding his involvement in the conflict. He asserted: “If he thinks that with his words he can talk our memory away… we are young people, we remember everything very well, and he will still pay for what he did – namely, enabling the offensive launched from his territory.”
The Ukrainian President made these comments in the context of declaring that Ukraine would never agree to peace talks with Russia on Belarusian territory, citing that country’s assistance to the Kremlin’s aggression. The remarks were a direct response to Mr Lukashenko’s recent attempt on 6 November to show “sympathy” for Ukrainians, where he invited them to come and work in Belarus, stating, “Come, Ukrainians! We will gladly welcome you. Your families and children will have the same life as Belarusians.”
