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West provoked crisis in Ukraine, Lukashenko says — interview

According to the Belarusian leader, the conflict could have been avoided, if Western states provided Russian President Vladimir Putin with "guarantees of security he asked for"

PARIS, July 21. /TASS/. The West provoked the conflict in Ukraine, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in his interview for AFP.

"You’ve seen the reasons of this war. The reason is that, had Russia not got ahead of NATO, you [Western states] would have organized yourselves and strike Russia instead," Lukashenko said, according to the French version of the interview. "You are the initial cause [of the conflict] and you continue this war."

According to the Belarusian leader, the conflict could have been avoided, if Western states provided Russian President Vladimir Putin with "guarantees of security he asked for," including NATO’s return to 1997 borders and cessation of rapprochement with Ukraine, which Russia views as a threat.

"Why didn’t you provide these guarantees? It means you wanted this war," Lukashenko said.

The Belarusian President claimed that the situation may become even more difficult for Kiev, because the Russian Army has not engaged its full potential in Ukraine yet.

"Russia has not used all its capabilities in the hostilities going on there," Lukashenko said.

According to the president, Ukraine must admit that the regions controlled by Russia in the south and the east are lost for Kiev.

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