Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has given Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko one week to dismantle the relay systems that facilitate Russian strikes against Ukrainian civilians.
Zelenskyy also noted that Ukraine is dissatisfied with the fact that Lukashenko has become one of the main suppliers of fuel to the Russian military. The implications of this are obvious.
As for the incident involving the Russian attack on a bus carrying Belarusian children, the position is equally clear.
Let us state the facts.
There is not a single reason for tension between the Ukrainian and Belarusian peoples, nor between Ukraine and Belarus. None whatsoever. Belarusians are the people closest to us.
The only factor creating problems is Lukashenko’s transformation into Putin’s puppet. The issue lies with the political regime established in Minsk and with Lukashenko’s personal evolution.
A very clear divide exists, and it is deepening.
There is not a single reasonable Ukrainian who harbors any negative feelings toward Belarusians. However, negative attitudes toward Lukashenko’s pro-Kremlin regime are growing. Not long ago, he was actually quite popular in Ukraine.
Let me remind you — and I know this in detail — that in March 2022, the main question being asked by Belarusian military personnel and their family members was: “How can we properly surrender to the Ukrainian army without being harmed?” This was in case Minsk bowed to Kremlin pressure and took the reckless step of entering the war.
At that time, the threat was neutralized, including through the responsible actions of Poland and several other partners.
Lukashenko now faces a very clear choice.
He can move from relatively passive complicity in Russia’s aggression to active participation in order to please Moscow, after which he will have virtually no chance of saving himself.
Or he can prevent escalation under any pretext, preserving prospects for himself and his inner circle and, most importantly, avoiding a tragedy for the Belarusian people.
Now is a good time to take note of the Belarusian commentators and public figures who are repeating the Russian narrative regarding Russia’s attack on a bus carrying children. It is, in a way, a self-identification exercise for Russian agents of influence. The issue is highly specific, and everything is clearly visible.
To some extent, this makes future tasks easier.
