We are allies — that says it all

The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, gave an interview for the Big Sunday News programme of the Rossiya TV channel on August 15th

Andrei Stasevich

Yevgeny Popov, a journalist and presenter of the 60 Minutes socio-political talk show, deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, acted as an interviewer.
The interview with the Belarusian Head of State lasted about two hours. Aleksandr Lukashenko gave detailed, sincere and open answers to the journalist’s questions on a wide range of topics, including Belarusian-Russian co-operation, issues on the regional and international agenda.
In particular, they discussed measures to ensure the security of Belarus and Russia, as well as the Union State as a whole, the situation in Ukraine and ways to resolve the conflict, the response to the behaviour of Western neighbours and the situation on the border. The interview touched on certain aspects of domestic policy, the President’s personal role in the development of the country and his plans for the future. The hot topics, on which Aleksandr Lukashenko gave substantive answers, included the incident with the violation of Belarus’ airspace by Ukrainian drones, the ‘red lines’ in security issues, and events in Kursk Region. One of the questions concerned the boorish answer from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to the statement of Belarus’ Foreign Ministry regarding the violation of our country’s airspace by drones. Ukrainian officials replied that there was nothing to talk about and that it was not anything worth thinking about.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that such obnoxious behaviour had been going on since the days of the Studio Kvartal 95 [a TV entertainment production company co-founded by Vladimir Zelensky]. “Real diplomats will never permit themselves to say that, in the first place, even if there is ‘nothing to talk about’,” the President remarked. “Secondly, diplomats constantly say things other than those on their minds. So there is something to talk about.” 
According to the Head of State, after the incident with the drones, the statements and actions of the Belarusian side, a reaction from Ukraine followed. “We immediately received signals from those who conduct politics in a responsible way, and from the Ukrainian military. They showed concern asking for the incident’s details,” the President drew attention to the fact that the situation was unfolding against the background of additional measures to protect the state border. 
“They redeployed additional units to our border when they saw that we were forming appropriate units at the border. Our units took their positions, which we had determined long ago. I am in favour of taking every precaution. If the time comes, each unit, company, battalion must come out and take its assigned position,” Aleksandr Lukashenko explained.
According to the Belarusian leader, brigades and battalion tactical groups have been determined in Belarus for operations in the area of the Belarusian-Ukrainian state border. More than 20 of them are planned there. “Each group knows what area and territory they are responsible for. This is crucial in order to prevent a breakthrough. This is why we did it,” the President clarified. “And the Ukrainian side saw it.” 
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the absence of belligerent intentions is due to the fact that Belarus and Russia are not interested in expanding the line of hostilities, and not because the other side acts in a friendly manner. “The entire border is 1,200km long. The frontline of the special military operation now is 1,000km. Are we ready to cover 1,200km? No. And Kursk has shown that. We would have to organise mobilisation [if events unfolded according to that scenario]. This is what the West wants us and, primarily, Russia to do in order to stir up society from within. Therefore, we are not ready for this, we do not want this,” the Belarusian leader stressed. The President placed a special emphasis,

“We do not want escalation, and we do not want a war against the entire NATO. But if they go ahead with it, well... We will have no other choice, and there will be no ‘red lines’. There is one red line only — the state border. As soon as they step on it, as border guards say, our response will be immediate. It has been prepared by an order that is kept in the safe, as it should be.” 

“A direct question that the West likes asking leaders: Are you ready to press the ‘red button’?” journalist Yevgeny Popov asked. “First of all, I have heard the discussion of these issues. I am not talking about nuclear weapons anymore, but you have asked me. As Putin says, ‘I did not raise this topic, you asked me’. As for the nuclear weapons, they ‘have already pushed red buttons’ all around, including along the perimeter of Belarus and Russia. It remains only to press the real ‘red button’. Therefore, from a moral point of view, it is probably even uncomfortable for Putin and me, who will have to make such a decision, to talk about it,” the Head of State pointed out. 
“Secondly, when tactical nuclear weapons were deployed here, I told them [opponents abroad] straight that we are not going to use any weapons until they step on our state border. It is also the border of the Union State.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that according to the existing agreements, Russia, in the event of aggression against Belarus, shall send its troops to Belarus to provide military support. “According to our agreement, Russia shall send its designated units to Belarus. We take the first blow, and then Russia will back us up. This is Belarus and Russia’s common war against these beasts. Should we wait until they destroy our country, as it happened with the Soviet Union [reference to the initial stage of the Great Patriotic War]? No! Therefore, we will respond instantly and adequately,” the President said.
The Head of State added, “If they do not want this to happen, let’s sit down at the negotiating table and end this fight, which neither the Ukrainian people, nor Russians, or Belarusians need. It is our opponents who need this conflict. I cannot disclose certain facts — they are strictly confidential — where high-ranking officials openly say, and I quote, ‘Let Ukrainians and Russians kill each other, let them die in this cauldron’. High-ranking officials are saying this. They are of U.S. origin — I will lift the veil for you a little bit here. Is this normal? They want us to destroy each other.” 

Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that he never changed his view with regard to important issues and historical processes and always kept his word

There are cases in history when leaders try to disown their past, radically change their views. “There were Polish leaders who had worked almost in the special services or had been agents. We know such ‘great’ figures in Poland and the Czech Republic, they have refused [their past],” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
“Sometimes I look back at my life, at what I have done publicly, even as a deputy, and I am not ashamed. It never happened that I said one thing in the past and say something different at present,” the President said. “This is because — as a historian — I understood and evaluated the whole policy properly, according to certain criteria. As a result, I am clean now.” 

“If NATO troops enter Ukraine, it will result in WWIII”

President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko sees the danger of WWIII in the event of NATO troops entering Ukraine.
“[There seems to be] an opportunity to bring Russia ‘to heel’. Ukraine will not do this, but who can? It is West, it is NATO. We need to see this, and — together with President Putin — we see that NATO troops can openly join in (without even hiding this intention). They are redeploying weapons, mercenaries, former military personnel (so that they can operate F-16s) there, and so on. This is already happening. As regards planning operations and carrying them out with the hands of NATO members from the territory of Ukraine… Moreover, it is actually their dream, they would like these vile Poles, the leaders of Poland, to seize Belarus and stretch the [front] line almost to Leningrad, as it once was,” the Head of State said. “In this case, of course, it would be almost impossible for us to defend ourselves in such a situation. [In this case] there should be mobilisation and a real war.”
"If they use NATO troops, then World War III will break out, since both tactical and strategic nuclear weapons will be used there. The response will be immediate and terrible. They understand it, and we understand it as well. Therefore, it is necessary to sit down at the negotiating table," Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.

‘Specific answers, a very businesslike approach, a balanced position’ 

Following the event, Yevgeny Popov shared his impressions of the interview with Aleksandr Lukashenko, “The conversation was very detailed and specific, from the perspective of a very hot and stressful time we live in. It is hard to overestimate the importance of co-operation between Russia and Belarus. It was very interesting to hear Aleksandr Lukashenko’s vision of the future of our relations within the Union State, as well as of the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict. His answers were specific, the approach was very businesslike, and his position was balanced. To the credit of the host party, I must admit that there were no pre-conditions, and no topics or questions were discussed in advance. It is clear that your President is immersed in the situation like no one else, and in this sense I asked the questions that were interesting for me as a journalist. It seems to me that Aleksandr Grigorievich [Lukashenko] was extremely frank. It is a great success, and I am grateful for it.”

Based on materials of sb.by and belta.by