Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko issued a series of high-profile statements regarding the war in Ukraine during a public address in the western city of Grodno on Saturday, June 6, NEXTA Live reported.
Refusing to become “cannon fodder”
The Belarusian president used graphic language to dismiss the possibility of an offensive deployment into Ukrainian territory.
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“Should we go fight in Ukraine according to someone else’s will? Do we want to be cannon fodder there? No, we do not want that,” Lukashenko declared during his address.
Despite his explicit refusal to deploy ground forces across the border, Lukashenko shifted his rhetoric minutes later to reassure the Kremlin of his strategic loyalty.
He emphasized that Minsk’s framework for deep military and defense cooperation with Moscow remains entirely unchanged. Lukashenko reasserted that Belarus has been, and will continue to be, an unyielding ally to Russia, adding that his country remains prepared to “defend” Russia if the situation demands it.
Appeals to neighboring states amid high tensions
During the Grodno address, the Belarusian leader also directed a public message toward the governments and civilian populations of the NATO and Ukrainian territories that share geographic borders with Belarus.
“I want the Poles, Lithuanians, and Ukrainians to hear me. We do not want to fight with them,” Lukashenko stated, attempting to project a defensive posture.
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