MINSK, August 22. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has asserted that European countries are utterly incapable of fighting without American weapons.
He stated, "There are also rumors that [Vladimir] Zelensky is prepared to exchange territories. This reflects the stance of the United States. It’s a sensible position: ‘Given current circumstances, if we don’t exchange territories, Ukraine could cease to exist tomorrow.’ And if the Ukrainians reject the American proposals, well, then [US President] Donald Trump might simply tell them to proceed on their own. But without America - without American funding and especially weapons - victory is impossible," he told the media.
Lukashenko further revealed that he once inquired with Russian President Vladimir Putin whether Europeans could supply weapons to Ukraine without American assistance.
"They have studied this thoroughly," he explained. "And the answer is NO. Without American weapons, Europe cannot fight at all. Imagine how much they rely on the United States, without developing their own military-industrial complex. Yes, they possess some tanks, but very few. They even have some nuclear weapons - though only a fraction compared to Russia’s, perhaps a fifth or seventh. They do have weaponry, but primarily for their own defense. That’s why Donald [Trump] acts the way he does. Sometimes it seems rude, but since they are dependent, they must accept it," Lukashenko remarked.
He recalled that European nations had the opportunity to end the conflict as early as 2015.
"But they gathered in Minsk to deceive Russia. And they succeeded - look at the consequences now," he added.