Negotiation is a key for resolving any conflict

Official Kyiv had many chances to prevent the situation from escalating. The best solution to any conflict is at the negotiating table. Important statements and focuses of the President of Belarus during an operational meeting with the military.

The Belarusian Head of State recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin had authorised a special military operation in Donbass. On February 24th the leaders of Belarus and Russia discussed the developments in this region in a telephone conversation.
“Vladimir Putin gave me a detailed introduction to the situation and, most importantly, to the ongoing developments. He stated that the purpose of the operation is unambiguous: to stop the genocide of the people in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions,” underlined the Belarusian leader.
Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed to NATO’s intensive military buildup along the borders of Poland and the Baltic states with Belarus. According to him, groups of forces are being amassed near Belarus and they are down to enter Belarus and attack Russia. 

“We will not be traitors, and we will not allow you to shoot the Russian people in the back,” the Head of the Belarusian State stressed, “I instructed you to think of a response in case someone would lose their marbles and want to carry out this manoeuvre. Here is the map in front of me, it was drawn by the General Staff overnight.”

The President noted that part of the Russian group of forces that remained in Belarus after the military drills would help, if necessary, to protect the western border. This was confirmed by the Russian leader in the conversation with Aleksandr Lukashenko, “That is what he said, verbatim: I promise you and swear to you that any attack on Belarus will mean an attack on Russia.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko once again emphasised that Belarusian troops were not participating in the Russian special operation in Donbass.
At the same time, the Head of State said,

“We will not make excuses about our involvement or non-involvement in this conflict. I repeat: our troops are not there. But if such need arises, if Belarus and Russia need this, they will be there.”

Many facts that are hidden from the media, according to the President, indicate that Ukraine wanted this conflict.
“Ukrainian politics did nothing to prevent it. They constantly hyped up tensions. Even after the recognition of these republics. Stop! Who are you going to fight against? A most powerful nuclear power. I wonder why they strain relations. Because they are encouraged to start a war with bayonet pricks from behind,” said the Head of State. “It is necessary to start negotiations in order to prevent this bloodshed in Ukraine and stop the escalation but Russia will never begin negotiations with them if the matters that will be discussed are not reconciled in advance. Russia has specified them for NATO, for America, and for Ukraine. Five or six matters. Two or three matters concerning Ukraine. First, Ukraine’s demilitarisation, prevention of Ukraine’s accession to NATO, and the cessation of hostilities against Donetsk and Lugansk. Other matters may be added, too.”
But talking about the matters will not suffice — specific decisions have to be drafted, the Head of State stressed. 
Aleksandr Lukashenko suggested holding the relevant negotiations in Minsk, “We are Slavs, three Slavonic nations. Let’s sit down and decide our fate for the future, once for all. What is the basis for that? If I were Zelenskyy, I’d grab the opportunity. Putin stated (well done, I commended him for it in a conversation): ‘We are not occupants, we are not going to occupy Ukraine.’ What else do you need? It is the basis of negotiations.” 
The Head of State is convinced it is the only chance to stop the escalation and avoid a murderous war. Aleksandr Lukashenko also emphasised: there is no threat to the country from any side,

“The task of the military is to make sure every Belarusian feels safe. The government, governors should keep the economy going and address all the issues of the people fast.”

The Head of State stressed the importance of focusing efforts on protecting the state border in the western direction. As for the south, the situation there, in his opinion, is controlled.
“Our task now is to determine the protection of our state border with NATO: Poland and Lithuania. The task was set so that you could see everything so that we would not miss a single tank, a single soldier. We need to see everything that is happening there, in Poland,” said the President.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also drew attention to recent reports about foreign bank accounts of the political leadership of Ukraine,

“These reports provide details about their bank accounts and the amount of money they have accumulated and taken out. Ordinary people are getting poorer while they are lining their pockets. That said, they want Ukrainian people to go and die for them!”

He once again recalled the mutual agreements and obligations of Belarus and Russia within the framework of the Union State.
“We are allies, we have a corresponding agreement. There is no reproaching us for this. Why did the Poles, Lithuanians, Ukrainians go to Afghanistan and Iraq when the Americans were fighting its wars there?” Aleksandr Lukashenko asked a reasonable question. “What did they have to go there? Because the United States is their ally. Why make complaints against us? Russia is our ally.”
After the meeting, the Head of State talked to the press. One of the questions was related to the NATO’s military build-up at the western borders of Belarus and the country’s plans to reinforce those borders. 
“Those 1,000 Americans that have been deployed to the Polish-Belarusian border are nothing to worry about. We will deal with them within two or three hours. The most important thing is that we will face the United States. If we take just one American soldier down, we will have to deal with the United States. Then the conflict will be not with 1,000 soldiers, but with a technologically advanced military machine, the most powerful state. This is where the danger lies,” explained the Head of State.
The journalists also noticed that during the period of street riots during the 2020 electoral campaign, Aleksandr Lukashenko did not leave Belarus, but came out with a weapon, demonstrating his intention to defend the sovereignty and independence of the country.
“For me, this is a serious moment — that you have followed me,” said the Head of State. “And if I ran away somewhere, screwed up, what will you think then? What will happen to you? The President doesn’t have to run.”

Based on materials of sb.by and belta.by
Photos by BELTA