Belarusian leader claims he met with Zelenskyy's representatives

Self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that he met with representatives of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Belarus.

Source: Lukashenko during a meeting with Moscow Oblast Governor Andrei Vorobyov, as reported by Belarusian state-owned news outlet BelTA

Quote: "Not long ago, representatives of Zelenskyy were right here. I told them directly: 'Guys, convey this to your president: if he thinks he can speak to us like that and try to drag us into a war, he must understand that the nature of the war will change instantly. This war will be completely different.'"

Details: The Belarusian ruler also claimed that he had received a response.

"The president and they understand that. So, guys, let's come to an agreement. We need to reach a substantial agreement," Lukashenko added.

"There is no need to lose your temper, no need to shout, no need to try to punch someone in the face in the Russian style, and so on. Let's behave like human beings, understanding what Russia is and what we are. That understanding exists as well," he said.

Lukashenko stressed that Belarus should not be drawn into the war.

Quote: "And there is no need to push us towards the idea that Boris Vyacheslavovich [Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov – ed.] is organising a process to drag us into the war. The president of Russia and I have discussed this issue a thousand times. How are we supposed to fight Ukrainians here if, on the other side, there are mostly territorial defence forces? Are we supposed to shoot at those machine operators, dairy workers and labourers [serving in the territorial defence forces – ed.] who do not want to fight Belarusians? We also do not want to fight Ukrainians." [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president – ed.]

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