President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held his first meeting with Belarusian independent media representatives since the start of the full-scale invasion. During the conversation, he warned Belarusian society about critical risks stemming from the Lukashenko regime’s cooperation with Russia. The Head of State emphasized the threat to Belarus’s sovereignty and urged citizens not to become tools in the aggressor’s hands.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported this during an interview with the Belarusian independent outlet Zerkalo. The President stated that Belarus is becoming more deeply involved in Russian aggression. He recalled that troops and missiles entered from Belarusian territory at the start of the invasion. Currently, the situation is worsening due to the deployment of new equipment and drone control systems.
“Lukashenko knows exactly what is happening in Belarus. When Lukashenko told me at the beginning of the full-scale invasion that missiles were launched, and they had been there for a long time, and we do not control this. Well, now new equipment has appeared on the territory of Belarus that allows killing our people, our civilian population,” Zelenskyy stated.
Ukraine records the use of Belarusian infrastructure to coordinate strikes on energy facilities. Furthermore, Russia is preparing sites for the Oreshnik missile system. Zelenskyy considers such steps a major mistake because they make Belarusian territory a legitimate target for NATO. Despite this, Ukraine distinguishes between the Belarusian people and those who issue criminal orders.
A future within the European Union
The President expressed his conviction that both Ukraine and Belarus should be members of the EU. In his view, this is the only correct path from economic and geopolitical perspectives.
“The best thing is for Ukraine and Belarus to be members of the European Union. I do not know if the Belarusian people support this, but from the point of view of economy, geopolitics, and independence, it is correct,” he noted.
Zelenskyy called anti-European propaganda in Belarus false. He assured that Ukraine would respect the independence of the neighboring state, provided there is free leadership.
“If there is a free leadership that gives them freedom, which will respect the independence of Ukraine, we will confidently respect the independence of Belarus. The best thing that can be is peaceful relations when we respect each other’s sovereignty and missiles do not fly from one country to another,” the Head of State emphasized.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that Ukraine imposed personal sanctions on Alexander Lukashenko for aiding Russia in the war.
