Lukashenko: Putin Not Pushing Belarus To Enter War With Ukraine

Wires carrying comments from Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenko stating that Russian President Vladimir Putin, "is not pushing Belarus to enter war with Ukraine."

• Lukashenko restates that, "Belarus will use tactical nuclear weapons in event of aggression."
• Lukashenko: "Russia would never relinquish Crimea," adding that he "believes Russia has achieved its goals in its special military operation."
• Recent movement of troops from the Russian state affiliated paramilitary Wagner Group have raised tensions around the strategically important Suwalki Gap which separates Belarus from the Russian enclave Kaliningrad.
• The Atlantic Council wrote today: "Putin’s objectives [in Belarus] are obvious. He seeks to probe the Alliance’s defenses. He is trying to seed dissension among the NATO allies. And he is trying to undercut Central European confidence in the Alliance," arguing that NATO, "should conduct a no-notice exercise in the Suwalki Gap," to deter Russian provocation.
• Lukashenko's comments come following a meeting today with Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu in Minsk.
• Li said after the meeting: “The purpose of my visit to Belarus is precisely the implementation of important agreements at the level of heads of state and the further strengthening of bilateral military cooperation.”