GENEVA, July 2. /TASS/. Kiev is actively seeking to involve Belarus in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, a move driven by its perception of vulnerability amid the successful advances of Russian forces in the zone of the Special Military Operation. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin conveyed this assessment to TASS in response to questions about the rising tensions along the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.
"Yes, you're absolutely right," Galuzin affirmed when asked whether the increasing tensions could be interpreted as Kiev's attempt to drag Belarus into the conflict, especially amidst the confident progress of Russian troops in the special military operation zone.
He further explained that the recent incidents in the Bryansk Region are part of a broader strategy to draw Belarus into the hostilities. According to Galuzin, Kiev aims to manipulate regional dynamics to pressure Western European sponsors into escalating hostile actions against Russia and Belarus. This, he said, is intended to compel further financial support for the Kiev regime and to expand the conflict - an ultimately futile effort to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.
The diplomat emphasized that Moscow and Minsk remain prepared to utilize the full scope of their bilateral security agreement to safeguard their shared interests should Kiev's provocations escalate further. He recalled that on June 23, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed Russia and Belarus's readiness to jointly respond to such threats during a meeting with diplomats from the world majority countries in Moscow.