Lukashenko still believes he is not Putin’s puppet
The self-proclaimed President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, is still convinced that he rules the country, which is de facto occupied by Russia.
Source: Telegram channel Pul Pervogo, controlled by Lukashenko
Quote: "I see that the situation is escalating now. Especially after these large-scale negotiations [the upcoming talks with Putin], everyone will say that there is no government in Belarus anymore; the Russians are already walking around and running the country. Once again, I want to emphasise that no one but us governs Belarus. These are our functions, according to the Constitution, and mine in particular. We are implementing these functions."
Details: The self-styled president claimed that "the sovereignty and independence of Belarus are inviolable" and that "Belarus will never be an enemy of Russia".
Why this is important: Russia has de facto occupied Belarus. Putin uses the territory of the Republic of Belarus to deploy his troops, strike Ukraine, and treat wounded soldiers. Lukashenko himself has actually become Putin's puppet: he supports all his actions, constantly talks about the "Union State", and spreads the Kremlin's narratives about the war against Ukraine, negotiations with Zelenskyy, and the alleged threat from the collective West or NATO.
However, Belarusian troops are not yet openly fighting against Ukraine.
Background:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to visit Minsk with a large government delegation on 19 December. First, a meeting with all ministers is planned, followed by a private meeting between Lukashenko and Putin, and then a press conference will be held.
- The parties will discuss "the process of implementation of previously adopted allied programmes", in particular trade and economic cooperation and joint projects "with an emphasis on import substitution", cooperation in the energy sector, and security issues.
- Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Minsk in early December and signed amendments to the agreement with Belarus on the joint provision of regional security in the military sphere. It was also announced that Putin and Lukashenko had agreed to meet in December.
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