Belarus president and key Putin ally Alexander Lukashenko urges Russia and Ukraine to end war

16 August 2024, 05:22 | Updated: 16 August 2024, 11:50

Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus and a key ally of Vladimir Putin, has urged Russia and Ukraine to end the war.

Speaking in an interview on Russian state TV, Lukashenko said that Moscow and Kyiv should come to an agreement about the war ending in order that it didn't spill over into Belarus.

Lukashenko was speaking as Ukraine continued its surprise attack on Russia, in which they say troops have advanced about 22 miles past the border and continue to advance.

The Belarus president said that Ukraine might also intend to invade Belarus, without providing evidence for his claim.

He claimed that the only people who still want the war are "high-ranking people of American origin".

Lukashenko added that the West only wanted Ukraine to keep fighting because of a desire for it and Russia to "destroy each other".

He said: "Let's sit down at the negotiating table and end this brawl. Neither the Ukrainian people, nor the Russians, nor the Belarusians need it. They (the West) need it."

Ukraine has taken around 1,000 square kilometres of the Kursk border region in its surprise counter-attack.

One theory about why they launched the attack was so that they would have a stronger negotiating hand in the case of any ceasefire talks.

It emerged on Thursday that Ukraine was using British tanks in its incursion into Russia.

The British Ministry of Defence did not comment on this specifically, but reiterated Ukraine had "a clear right" to use UK-supplied weapons for "self-defence against Russia's illegal attacks".

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"That does not preclude operations inside Russia," an MoD spokesman added.

"We make clear during the gifting process that equipment is to be used in line with international law."

Ben Wallace, the Conservative former Defence Secretary, said that during his time in office Ukraine had permission to strike at Russian targets with whatever weapons they had - apart from the Storm Shadow long-range missiles.

Mr Wallace added that it was "perfectly legitimate" for Ukraine to attack logistics and infrastructure using British weapons.

Britain was one of the first countries to provide tank support to Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion.

2023 saw Downing Street provide 14 Challenger 2 tanks to aid in Ukraine’s failed summer offensive, one was destroyed.

Ukraine has said it will aid in the evacuation of civilians from the Kursk region, as the Governor of nearby Belgorod declared a state of emergency.

On Tuesday, Mr Zelenskyy warned Russia that the war was "coming home" to Russia after his troops seized 1,000 square kilometres of the border territory.

Mr Zelenskyy said his forces would "ensure peace" by moving across the border into the Kursk region of Russia, in a move that Vladimir Putin has blasted as "a provocation".

Mr Zelenskyy said: "Russia brought war to others, now it’s coming home.

"Ukraine has always wanted only peace, and we will certainly ensure peace.”