Alexander Lukashenko has stated that Belarus does not pose any military threat to Ukraine and said no offensive actions should be expected from Minsk. In an interview with Al Arabiya, later reported by Belarusian state media BelTA, he also issued an apology to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over earlier remarks.
Lukashenko said his previous comments were made in response to what he described as hostile statements from Kyiv, including claims that Ukraine had identified hundreds of potential targets in Belarus and was aware of his location. He said “perhaps I went too far at some point”, adding that his reaction followed what he called “groundless statements” from Ukrainian officials.
He further explained that he initially chose not to respond but later felt compelled after continued threats. According to him, “when they started threatening me, I was forced to respond”, while also describing Zelensky as a leader under significant wartime pressure. He added that the Ukrainian president is “a young and inexperienced person” and suggested that some of his decisions may have been affected by the stress of war.
Addressing Zelensky directly, Lukashenko expressed regret over the tone of his remarks. He said “If Volodymyr Oleksandrovych was offended, I apologize to him for those words”, while acknowledging that he may have spoken too sharply given Ukraine’s ongoing conflict. He added that Zelensky should also recognize the principle that “you reap what you sow.”
