Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba on the air of the YouTube show "Freedom of Speech by Savik Shuster" said about the "risks" for Ukraine due to the strengthening of cooperation between Belarus and Russia.

“We understand: if Alexander Lukashenko chose Russia, then the risks for us are starting to go off scale,” Kuleba said.

According to the Ukrainian minister, the Belarusian president "made his choice."

“He chose Russia, Vladimir Putin.

And this means confrontation, ”explained the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

Let us remind you that on September 14, the Russian President met with his Belarusian counterpart in Sochi.

The Russian leader congratulated Lukashenka on his election victory.

He also added that the Russian leadership advocates “for the Belarusians to sort out the internal political situation in the country in a calm regime and in dialogue with each other, without any prompts and pressure from outside,”

Lukashenko, in turn, thanked the Russian leadership for their support.

Let us remind you that mass protests in Belarus have been going on for more than a month and a half.

On August 9, presidential elections were held in the country.

In the evening of the same day, the CEC announced preliminary results, according to which Alexander Lukashenko won the victory, after which citizens of the republic, dissatisfied with this outcome, took to the streets.

The country's CEC later reported that Alexander Lukashenko won 80.1% of the vote.

On September 23, he took office as President of Belarus, the inauguration ceremony was held at the Palace of Independence.

This provoked a new wave of protests.

  • Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin

  • RIA News

  • © RIA Kremlin Pool

"To suit fashion trends"

It should be noted that this is not the first time that the Ukrainian side has expressed its fears about the rapprochement between Moscow and Minsk.

A few days before Alexander Lukashenko's visit to the Russian Federation, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Belarus Igor Kizim made a similar statement.

He believes that the integration of Russia and Belarus could supposedly negatively affect the situation on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border.

“How deep integration will go is, of course, we are worried.

Because before we at least understood, and these were verbal guarantees from Belarus, that our border would remain peaceful.

But how the situation will develop further against the background of the rapprochement of Belarus and Russia - this raises questions, ”Kizim said. 

As the ambassador specified, Ukraine is alarmed by the "rather strong relations" between Russia and Belarus in the field of the armed forces, special services and "other law enforcement agencies."

He believes that further rapprochement of the two states "will certainly be negative" for the Ukrainian side.

Recall that Kiev did not recognize Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus, as Dmitry Kuleba wrote on his Twitter page on September 23.

“Ukraine has never interfered in the internal affairs of Belarus and will always support the Belarusian people.

Taking into account the course of the election campaign in Belarus and subsequent events, today's “inauguration” of Lukashenka does not mean his recognition as the legitimate head of the Belarusian state, ”he said.

Ukraine has never interfered in internal affairs of Belarus & will always support the Belarusian people.

Taking into account the election campaign & what followed, today's “inauguration” of Lukashenko does not mean his recognition as a legitimate head of Belarusian state.

- Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) September 23, 2020

A day later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that there would be no power in Belarus if she did not establish a dialogue with the people.

“If the authorities do not stop those actions, especially the actions of law enforcement officers, which are directed against their people, they will receive a very powerful result - a response from the people.

If the authorities do not find an opportunity for dialogue with their loved ones, this power will not exist, ”RIA Novosti quotes Zelensky.

  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

  • Reuters

  • © Valentyn Ogirenko

At the same time, Kiev offered Minsk to postpone the visit of the Ukrainian leader to Belarus until 2021.

After these statements, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry drew attention to the fact that Ukraine “is not independent in making foreign policy decisions,” including regarding the situation in Belarus.

“The statements designed to please fashion trends are made by a representative of the government of a neighboring state, which Belarus sincerely and disinterestedly supports, taking an absolutely independent and independent position.

Although, apparently, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine does not consider it important for his country, ”the agency BelTA quoted the ministry as saying.

"Cornered myself"

In a commentary on RT, Denis Denisov, director of the Institute for Peacekeeping Initiatives and Conflictology, stated that Ukraine, making such statements, "does not even try to save face by playing such a disgusting game."

“This is already a circus tent, when everyone understands perfectly well that Ukraine makes decisions, voices certain positions not in its own interests, but to please the Western partners who are putting pressure on it,” Denisov said.

In his opinion, Kiev "has driven itself into a corner, severing ties with Minsk out of the blue."

“After all, Belarus is one of the main economic partners for Ukraine.

And opposing the current government of this state is like shooting yourself in the foot.

Now it is logical that the trade turnover between the countries will fall, Ukrainian export companies will not receive their previous income, which will only worsen the economic situation in Ukraine, ”the expert predicted.

At the same time, Kiev's statements about the "risks" for the Ukrainian side from the rapprochement between Moscow and Minsk "do not stand up to any criticism," Denisov believes.

“This is outright scam and lies.

The question immediately arises as to why Ukraine did not put forward such claims and did not express fears of this kind before, even before it suddenly began to doubt the legitimacy of Lukashenka and radically changed its position as soon as voices began to be heard from the US and the EU.

Such a quick change of strategy is just a smile, ”said the analyst. 

As Konstantin Voronov, head of the sector of regional problems and conflicts of the European Political Studies Department of the IMEMO RAS, explained, Alexander Lukashenko "made the decision to strengthen relations with Russia for a reason."

“He did this because he realizes that the Russian Federation is the most powerful regional player, and not only politically, but also economically.

Therefore, the choice of the Belarusian leadership that Kiev is talking about is not accidental, ”the expert said.

  • Protest in Minsk

  • Reuters

  • © Tut.By

Voronov also stated that the Ukrainian side hoped to “benefit from the problems within Belarus”.  

“They wanted to catch fish in troubled waters, but they failed.

Belarus and Russia act as a united front, and here Ukraine has nothing to catch.

That is why she is so active and expresses her indignation at the current situation, ”says Voronov.

As Denis Denisov predicted, if the Ukrainian side continues its current policy towards the Belarusian authorities, this will inevitably lead to an increase in tension between the parties.

“It is natural that taking into account the rhetoric of Kiev, relations between Ukraine and Belarus will only get worse.

And it will not be in the interests of the peoples of either Belarus or Ukraine.

This is an objective reality, ”the analyst concluded.