Belarus seeks to regulate ties with Poland, Lithuania amid border tensions

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko on Tuesday expressed a willingness to regulate relations with Poland and Lithuania but noted a lack of reciprocal steps from these countries.

“Belarus is offering to regulate relations with Poland and Lithuania, yet the country has not seen any reciprocal steps,” Lukashenko said at a ceremony to honor graduates of higher military educational institutions and senior officers at the Palace of Independence, News.Az reports citing BelTA.

He recalled the recent situation on the border with Ukraine over the military buildup. “We had to make certain promises to people and respond. Everyone involved in that effort is to be commended. I'm very grateful to them. But opening fire is an extreme method. Of course, we must know how to do it but it's the last resort. We must always find ways to negotiate. The military too. The situation was resolved by the military alone. We didn't involve diplomats. But we worked using the diplomatic language. We succeeded," the Belarusian leader emphasized.

“We want no war. We will go to war only when someone comes to our land with the sword. We will do our best to use only diplomatic means to settle disputes, primarily with our neighbors,” Lukashenko said.

“We offer settling our disputes with Poland and Lithuania in the same way. Yet, we have seen no reciprocity. Therefore, we have to keep our ears open and keep our powder dry in the northwestern and western directions,” the Belarusian leader added.

News.Az