Minsk, Moscow to jointly response to possible Donbas war: Lukashenko
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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says that his country will participate alongside Russia in responding to any attack by Ukraine against the Donbas region.
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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (Anadolu Agency)
Belarus will coordinate a joint response with Russia if Ukraine starts a war against Donbas, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Sunday with Kyiv amassing over 120,000 soldiers around the self-proclaimed republic.
Lukashenko said Belarus would respond to a Ukrainian offensive "in the same way as Russia" and that Minsk would "naturally" coordinate with Moscow when it comes to any moves.
He also threatened Ukraine with stopping the export of fuel and gas if its behavior leads to a war with Russia.
"We will cut off all fuel and lubricant supplies to Ukraine... as well as electricity. We will not supply it if they start a war against us or Russia," he explained.
Lukashenko said the two allies "drew red lines" and Ukraine would face consequences if it crossed them.
US pushing Kyiv toward war
Lukashenko also accused the United States of pushing Kyiv toward war with Russia.
"This is just the essence of the war, about which you and we are having debates now: 'Ukraine will fight.' Well, it is not Ukraine, it is Americans who are pushing it [Ukraine] to war," Lukashenko said.
Citing the unrest in Kazakhstan, Lukashenko explained that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) proved its effectiveness, "And the West knows it."
Lukashenko also stressed that the West understood the futility of fighting with Russia as the former is trying to escalate against Russia by doing things such as supplying Kyiv with arms, ignoring Moscow's security demands with regard to NATO, and strongarming Germany out of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline deal with Russia.
"Do they see not it? Therefore, they understand that it is futile to fight with us, especially with Russia. We are not talking about some kind of nuclear and other weapons. But it is better not to touch us," Lukashenko said.
Tensions are rising between Russia and the West in light of NATO accusations that Moscow is planning on invading Ukraine, alleging that the Kremlin has amassed 100,000 soldiers along Ukraine's borders.
Kyiv and Moscow have denied the western fearmongering, saying there was no such invasion anywhere on their radars.
