Belarus President Lukashenko Signals Exit Amid Growing Border Tensions and NATO Warnings

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has indicated his intent to step down from office. On August 18, he announced that preparations for his departure were underway and expressed hope that the transition would proceed without disappointment or mishap.

In a separate statement on August 18, Lukashenko highlighted the significant military presence along the Belarus-Ukraine border. He noted that Ukraine has stationed over 120,000 troops near the border, prompting Belarus to deploy its own forces in response to what Lukashenko described as Ukraine's hostile policies.

That same evening, an interview with Lukashenko aired on Russia's All-Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Company. In the interview, he agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin's viewpoint that Ukraine's attacks on Russia's Kursk region were intended to secure a better position in future negotiations. He warned that if Ukrainian forces were to invade Kursk, there would be no negotiations.

Lukashenko also emphasized the possibility of threats from the west, noting that Belarus and Russia had fortified their military capacities with heavy weaponry. He mentioned that defense plans along the western border could be transitioned to offensive strategies if necessary.

Furthermore, Lukashenko delivered a stark warning that NATO's involvement in Ukraine could trigger a third world war, leading to the use of tactical and strategic nuclear weapons. He stressed that both the West and Belarus are aware of this risk, which he believes should drive all parties to the negotiating table.

On August 15, Lukashenko had stated that Belarus did not wish for the conflict to escalate nor for a confrontation with NATO. He reiterated that for Belarus, there are no "red lines," only national borders. Any invasion by NATO into Belarusian territory would prompt immediate retaliation.

He also mentioned that Belarus had positioned over twenty brigades and battalion-level combat groups in the border regions with Ukraine to prevent any Ukrainian incursion. Lukashenko underscored that Belarus has no intention of using nuclear weapons unless the borders of the Russia-Belarus Union State are crossed. He called for an end to the conflict through negotiations, stressing that neither the Russian, Ukrainian, nor Belarusian people need the ongoing strife, which he claims is being encouraged by some Western officials.

Sources: Daily Economic News, CCTVM