MINSK, April 20. /TASS/. Europe does not want to go to war with Belarus and Russia, despite the rhetoric, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told RT in an interview.
He also noted that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have a brotherly relationship and value each other’s friendship.
TASS has compiled the Belarusian president’s key statements.
Relations with Russian president
"Putin and I are friends - even more than friends. We talk like brothers. He wants to see me and be friends with me. I’m happy to be friends with Putin."
Ukraine’s future
By following the West’s lead, Vladimir Zelensky risks losing Ukraine: "He must understand that if he doesn’t stop, he will lose Ukraine. <…> He has once again embarked on the path of militarization by following the West’s lead in the hope that they will provide him with money and weapons."
Zelensky has failed to cope with the pressure from Ukrainian nationalists and the nationalist fervor gripping the population: "Yes, he [Vladimir Zelensky] should have changed this policy, but he didn’t. He didn’t reverse the nationalism to which the Ukrainian people were prone. Since he [Zelensky] was inexperienced, he didn’t manage many processes, and the nationalists gained the upper hand, and he couldn’t handle it."
Situation regarding Venezuela’s president
The US government should reach an agreement with Venezuela and release its president Nicolas Maduro: "There’s no need to admit mistakes or anything like that. Back down and release this man; reach an agreement with Venezuela."
Middle East conflict
There will be no winners in the conflict between Iran and the US; much depends on US President Donald Trump: "There will be no winners here. Peace has won a little so far, but it is so fragile. A ceasefire has been declared. It still needs to be sustained, and peace must be achieved. Much will depend on Donald Trump."
"It seems that, after all, his [Trump’s] intuition and instincts prevailed. He realized that going any further would be impossible and would mean disaster."
Trump’s policy
US President Donald Trump could come to Russia as a peacemaker via Belarus: "Enemies have always taken this route. And Donald [Trump] could come to Russia as a peacemaker via Belarus."
Trump doesn’t have a team that could say "no" to him; that’s a big problem: "Donald Trump has no one who will tell him, ‘You’re wrong.’ With [46th US President Joe] Biden, [44th US President Barack] Obama, and [42nd US President Bill] Clinton, I know this for sure: I knew Obama and Clinton personally; they were tolerant of differing opinions. There were people who said no to them. And during Trump’s first term, there were people who said no."
Military confrontation with Europe
It is impossible for Belarus to initiate an armed conflict against Poland and Lithuania: "We have no intention of doing so, unless we are dragged into this war and forced to respond. We do not want that."
Europe does not want to go to war with Belarus and Russia, despite the rhetoric: "They do not want a confrontation with Belarus and Russia. Under no circumstances. I do not believe that, no matter what the rhetoric may be."
Belarus will not use its entire arsenal of weapons in any conflict, but only if it sees a threat to its existence: "This does not mean that, should a confrontation begin tomorrow, we will launch a nuclear attack against the countries from which aggression against us is carried out. We have enough other weapons to counter this."
Lukashenko’s policy
The US entered into negotiations with Lukashenko because they know who actually runs the country: "They know the real picture: they know who actually runs the country and what role this fugitive opposition plays."
Lukashenko lacks the resources to be a dictator: "I don’t have the resources to dictate. [US President Donald] Trump, on the other hand, has those resources, and he dictates - in Venezuela, in Cuba, he tries to dictate in Iran, in China - he tries to dictate something to all countries."
The struggle for justice will always be at the heart of Lukashenko’s politics: "Because I have witnessed this injustice, I have decided once and for all that the struggle for justice will be at the heart of my politics."
Available minerals
Belarus has no available mineral fertilizers to export to the US this year; all shipments have already been contracted and prepaid, despite the sanctions: "It would be nice if we could freely sell our potash fertilizers. But we have no available potash fertilizers for this year; we have no available mineral fertilizers. They have all been contracted, and some goods have been prepaid. Therefore, we still need to find these mineral fertilizers to supply them to the US."