Lukashenko: Ukrainian events rooted in country’s leadership
While visiting Minsk Scientific and Practical Centre of Surgery, Transplantology and Haematology today, the President of Belarus noted that the reasons of the events happening in Ukraine now are rooted in the country’s leadership
"As for the events taking place in our native Ukraine… Well, the people have chosen such leadership. The reason for everything that is happening there is the leadership of Ukraine," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
At the same time, the Head of State noted that the destructive processes evolving on the territory of the southern neighbour have another basis: nationalism and not the best forms of its manifestations. Aleksandr Lukashenko said, “It was a bad foundation that gave its sprouts, but politicians were the rest of it. I worked with them all, except Kravchuk [the first president of Ukraine]. I saw Kuchma, Yushchenko and Poroshenko, and I see this one: Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They did not ever try to work for people. I often call them brainless politicians, and I also told Poroshenko personally about this.”
The President reminded that, in the 1990s, nationalism tried to raise its head in our country as well, “Do you remember the times of Shushkevich in Belarus? They ruined education and made Russians to pack bags…”
At the same time, as Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed, it is obvious that even visually it is hardly possible to distinguish a Russian from a Belarusian. With this in view, the fundamental issues were brought up for general discussion.
The Head of State commented, “One of the reasons of the conflict in Ukraine is that people were banned from speaking the language they wanted. We have chosen a different path. You are welcome to speak any language. Do not forget the Belarusian language since this is what makes us different from other countries. However, it has happened that we are speaking mostly Russian… The time will come, and we will speak Belarusian – but it is no need to press people. We have moved away from that. If we followed the same path, then it would have been worse in our country than in Ukraine. This is because Ukraine is richer than we are, while we would have faced a trouble. We have got away from this very trouble.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled what he had already said more than once: Belarus is not directly involved in the Russian military operation in Ukraine – though it is rendering support, including by covering the back and preventing a strike through its territory.
As for the further development of events, the President shared his views, “We need to live through this period – no matter what – calmly, without sudden movements. I do not think it will get any worse. We are being frightened with sanctions and other things. Listen, Russians and Belarusians are already so intimidated by sanctions that we no longer have fear: it has gone away. We will survive.”
The Head of State believes that we have sufficient common potential to overcome possible problems. He reminded of the experience of the Soviet Union which was on firm ground as it had enough resources, a developed complex of their processing and consumption of the final product.
“We have everything. No need to worry. We must be proud of living on our land,” the President concluded.
