Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has stated that any decision on the recognition of the Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republics (LPR) will be considered into consultations with Russia. He further added that the decision would eventually benefit both parties.
Notably, Donetsk and Lugansk People’s republics are located in the Donbass region of Ukraine.
While adding that it will be a coordinated decision, Lukashenko added that, “We are planning to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on how we should go so that both Belarus and Russia could benefit.”
As per Lukashenko, if the Ukrainian government had wanted to end the violence in the Donbass region, it would have done it by now. “What we can do? We have Russian President Putin, and we have Ukranian President Zelensky. Belarus will do whatever it wants. There is only one goal- peace in the Donbass region, and we are committed to doing everything for it,” said the Belarusian President.
Lukashenko made the following statement after the Russian Parliament voted decisively in favour of urging President Putin to recognise the two self-proclaimed People’s Republics in the Donbas region.
However, Russian President Putin did not provide any comprehensive response to the request and instead promised that Russia would count Donbass’ interests before taking any action. The Russian President also noted the importance of the Minsk agreements, expressing optimism that they might still be implemented despite Kyiv’s repeated refusal to do so.
Notably, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that if the West does not stop attacking Belarus, he will be the President forever.
“If they attack as they already did in 2020, I will be President indefinitely,” Lukashenko added. Earlier on Wednesday, February 16, Foreign Minister of Belarus Vladimir Makei claimed that Minsk intends to expand military collaboration with Moscow as well as participation under the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).