RT.com
24 Jan 2023, 23:44 GMT+10
Despite offering a deal, Ukraine is training militants that pose a threat to its neighbor, the Belarusian president claims
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed Ukraine proposed a "non-aggression pact" with his country, but continues to train militants who pose a national security threat.
"I don't know why the Ukrainians are doing this. On the one hand, they ask us not to fight with Ukraine under any circumstances, and that our troops don't move in there. They suggest signing a non-aggression pact. And on the other hand they are preparing this 'explosive mixture' and are arming these [militants]," Lukashenko said during a government meeting on Tuesday.
The president said the West has not abandoned its "plans" for Belarus, and that Ukraine, along with neighboring states Poland and Lithuania, continue to train militants and extremists that pose a threat to national security.
He insisted that Belarus will never allow a repeat of the protests that swept the country in 2020, and will act "harshly" in order to make sure the nation survives and doesn't turn into a warzone like Ukraine.
Lukashenko said Poland and Lithuania have gone "completely gone crazy" and that Belarus has no choice but to respond appropriately.
"We are forced to react harshly," he said, adding that Belarus "has enough issues" on its borders, both in the air and on the ground, and the last thing it needs is turmoil within the country.
"Let them not be offended, they were warned," the president said, addressing "not the internal opposition, but the extremists" that choose to "crawl out from under the baseboard" and stir up trouble.
On Monday, the State Border Committee of Belarus said "a group of armed formations" made up of 23,500 troops from European Union states and Ukraine were concentrated near the country's border. It claimed 17,500 of them were from Ukraine, and 3,700 from Poland.
The committee also alleged that neighboring countries were constructing an "iron curtain" along the frontier, consisting of stationary engineering structures, barriers and even minefields.
Kiev has insisted that it does not have any aggressive plans against Belarus, but that it is "prepared for any scenario," and warned Minsk against making any hostile plans of its own.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Europe Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Europe Sun.
More InformationTORONTO, Canada: An initial investigation into last month's dramatic Delta Air Lines crash-landing in Toronto has revealed that the...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: New York State's highest court has struck down a law this week that would have allowed over 800,000 legal...
The death toll in Gaza on the weekend has passed 50,000, local health authorities have reported. What started the carnage was the Hamas-led...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced plans to invest up to US$100 million in research to develop...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has removed a 2024 advisory from its website that called gun...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Industry leaders are pushing the Trump administration to clear regulatory obstacles slowing the rollout of self-driving...
WASHINGTON, D.C./DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates is significantly expanding its financial footprint in the U.S. with a new investment...
NEW YORK, New York - Investors bought up stocks on U.S. markets Monday after President Donald Trump indicated he may pull back on some...
BOSTON, Massachusetts: Private equity investor William Chisholm has agreed to buy the Boston Celtics in a record-breaking deal worth...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The cost of borrowing for a home in the U.S. ticked up again this week, marking the second straight increase as homebuyers...
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA: Apple's ambitious foray into streaming is proving costly, with the company reportedly losing over US$1 billion...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Gold's record-breaking rally is expected to continue, with Citi Research increasing its three-month price...