Belarus' President, Alexander Lukashenko, has said that his country is a "dictatorship" that values "stability, security, order, kindness, and hospitality."

Lukashenko made the remarks on Saturday during a ceremony honoring farmers in the country's Grodno region. Speaking of the Western sanctions placed on Belarus, he reminded that in July, Minsk expanded its visa-free system to include nationals of 35 European countries, allowing more Westerners to visit the country.

According to Belta News Agency, Lukashenko said that "a million people" have seen with their own eyes that the country was a "dictatorship of stability, security, order, kindness and hospitality. A dictatorship of justice.”

Lukashenko stated that foreigners were "gladly" visiting Belarus "despite the lies" peddled about the nation in the West and visitors regard it as a "clean, safe, and comfortable country," he said.

Belarus under sanctions

One of Russia's closest friends, the nation has also been subjected to tough new sanctions imposed by the US and EU as a result of the Ukraine war. While Belarus is not directly participating in the conflict, Minsk authorized Moscow to utilize its territory in February 2022, when Russia launched military action against Kiev.

The sanctions include a wide variety of economic sectors, including a prohibition on the transfer of military technology and dual-use commodities to the nation. EU corporations are also prohibited from offering insurance services to Belarusian authorities, and Minsk's access to EU financial markets is restricted. Belarus has condemned the measures as illegitimate and unfair.

Lukashenko has stressed that Ukraine "will not prevail" on the battlefield and that the West "realizes this now," asking Kiev's main supporters to cease referring to Russia as the lone aggressor in the war and instead focus on negotiation.

He has also questioned whether any of the US presidential contenders, Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, will do much to cease the bloodshed, labeling them both "idiots."