Ukraine responded to Lukashenko's statement about Belarusian peacekeepers

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko is trying to improve his image in the eyes of the West and distance himself from the conflict on Ukraine. This was announced today, January 27, by the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (NSDC).

The Center for Countering Disinformation of the NSDC commented on Alexander Lukashenko's statement about the possibility of sending to Ukraine of the Belarusian army as a peacekeeping force. The Ukrainian ministry called Lukashenka an "illegitimate president" and noted that any statements about Belarusian peacekeepers "sound absurd, since official Minsk is an accomplice of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine."

"With such statements, Lukashenka is trying to create the impression that Belarus is standing aside from the war, the NSDC believes ... Peacekeeping rhetoric is aimed at improving Lukashenka's image in the eyes of the international community. Also, his statement is consonant with the lie of ru-propaganda that allegedly the West and Ukraine, and not Russia is striving to continue the war," the NSDC said.

It should be recalled that Belarus does not officially participate in the Russian special military operation on Ukraine. Minsk supports the cessation of hostilities and the start of peace negotiations. On January 26, Lukashenko said at a press conference that only "Belarusians can ensure normal relations between the middle and older brother." According to him, "this does not mean that I will send my army there as peacekeepers — 70 thousand — I will build them there, but for the sake of it being as agreed, it is only Belarusian." According to him, therefore, Moscow and Kiev "can only agree on Belarusian peacekeepers."