Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko gave a powerful address to the nation today, the first since the decision was announced that Russian tactical nuclear missiles would be placed in Belarus for its protection. In his speech, Lukashenko proposed to stop hostilities in Ukraine and to declare a truce.
“If Russia used to ask (it asked us, too) for weapons and ammunition to protect itself, today they are not asking for weapons from anyone,” Lukashenko said. “Why? Because the Russian military-industrial complex—and I know this for certain—is unfolding at full power today. If this military-industrial complex unfolds to its full capacity, it will be hard to talk about peace. If this Russian ‘cart’ rolls by inertia, it will be hard to stop it. On the other hand, if Ukraine is stuffed with weapons (Western mainly, there are no Soviet weapons left there), if the military gets additional training, this will also lead to a much bigger disaster. As a result, we will have much more than half a million killed and injured.”
“We need to stop now, before the escalation begins. I will try to risk suggesting a cessation of hostilities … to declare a truce without the right to move, regroup troops from both sides, without the right to transfer weapons, ammunition and military equipment,” he said.
He said that the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus was not about intimidation and blackmail, but was an opportunity to ensure security of the state, and ensure peace for the Belarusian people. “In emerging conditions and the military and political situation around our country, I’ve reactivated negotiations with the Russian President on the return of nuclear weapons to Belarus, the return of the nuclear weapons which were removed in the 1990s.” He noted the threat to Belarus coming from the Western powers, and was quick to say that one should no longer talk of “the West” but rather of “the Anglo-Americans.”
He reported a number of provocations by Ukrainian special forces against the territory of Belarus and said that Belarus special forces have been placed on the southern border to protect against these incursions. In dealing with them, Belarus would respond appropriately, and that the nuclear arsenal would only be called upon if there were a major attack on the country. He also mooted the possibility of the West moving against Belarus, if Ukraine happened to move in the direction of negotiations, as another way of undermining Russia.
Lukashenko further indicated that there was a lot of fraternization on the front lines. Many of the fascist forces have been killed and the troops on the front line have been dragooned into services. Sometimes they inform the Russian side that there will be an attack, and the Russians withdraw, to come back later.
“It is necessary to start these negotiations and make them direct,” Lukashenko said. “Don’t wait for mediators from the West or the East. Ukraine has to understand (maybe Russia has to understand, too, but the economic might is incomparable) that once a small conflict starts in some other part of the planet, and there are sparks everywhere, Ukraine will be forgotten. Nobody will bring gifts of weapons. What then? Even if Ukrainians are not defeated, they will be unable to restore the country on their own. This is why after wising up, everyone has to clearly understand that they need to start negotiations and come to terms,” he said.
After his speech he met for a half-hour with the press and others present, including the mayor of a city on the Polish border which had been the subject of one of these “incursions.” Lukashenko assured him that the government would take measures to deal with such incidents. The western border is also under constant control, he said. Defenses of the territories bordering on Poland and Lithuania have been reinforced, he pointed out, except that Belarus has not closed the border with its neighbors. Moreover, Belarus offers a visa-free travel program to citizens of these countries. “Don’t worry, we see who comes and who leaves,” Lukashenko assured.
