Lukashenko: Facts show West preparing for aggression against Russia and Belarus
According to the Belarusian President, there were facts that pointed to a possible preparation of Western aggression against Minsk and Moscow.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated on Tuesday that there were data pointing to the West's likely preparation for action against Minsk and Moscow.
According to the president, initially, a group of troops was formed ostensibly to defend the borders from illegal migrant crossings, and then the Ukrainian armed forces initiated an operation to train their men for operations on Belarusian territory. Then, in Ukraine, the Metel-2022 drills began, and there was prejudice against Belarusian nationals coming to Ukraine, he noted.
Belta news quoted Lukashenko saying that "And all this against the backdrop of information hysteria, far-fetched accusations of preparing aggression on the part of Belarus. Taken together, all these facts clearly indicated the possible preparation of the West for aggression against Belarus and Russia."
Regarding the upcoming Moscow-Kiev talks, Lukashenko divulged that the discussions encourage "cautious optimism."
Two days ago, the five-hour negotiations between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine in the Gomel region in Belarus ended, and both sides identified some priority topics, as confirmed by an advisor to the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Mikhail Podolyak.
"The parties have identified a number of priority topics on which certain decisions have been outlined. In order to give the opportunity to implement these decisions... the delegates are departing to their capitals for consultations," Podolyak told reporters.
The Russian and Ukrainian delegations discussed the possibility of holding a second round of negotiations as soon as possible, he added.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed on Sunday that there are no Belarusian soldiers or weapons in Ukraine, emphasizing that Russia does not need them to carry out a successful military operation in Ukraine.
"He [Zelensky] reproaches us for fighting there [in Ukraine] from our territory. There is not a single soldier of ours... not a single combat vehicle. It's not even that there is neither a single machine gun, nor grenade launcher, nor gun. There is not even a single Belarusian cartridge. Not because we got scared of something and are afraid. No. Because Russia does not need it," Lukashenko told reporters.