MINSK, April 24. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko believes that the United States has shifted the conflict in Europe onto the shoulders of the EU and NATO in order to weaken Russia and deal with China at the same time.

"The goal is to distract, drown Russia in the war with Ukraine, weaken it with war and sanctions. Then Russia will have other things to worry about than a union with China, unity. And in the meantime, to deal with China, to drag into these squabbles, if possible, some ‘interested parties’: AUKUS (defense alliance of Australia, the UK and the US - TASS) - the NATO of the Pacific Ocean, adding to it Japan and South Korea," Lukashenko said, addressing the All-Belarusian People's Assembly. According to him, "this is key to the US strategy to rule the world."

Lukashenko specified that the US had organized the conflict in Europe, in this case in Ukraine, and "shifted it onto the shoulders of the European Union and NATO, promising to help with money."