Mikalai Statkevich: Ukraine Has Already Rebuilt Its Nation And Army

Belarusians should take to streets on a massive scale on March 25 and show that we will defend independence.

There's no need in Belarusian peacekeepers in the Donbass. And in general, official Minsk, closely bind with the Kremlin, should better keep away from the affairs of Kiev in the east of Ukraine.

So was the reaction of Colonel-General (retired), former chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anatoliy Lopata to today's statement of the Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makei about the readiness of our country's authorities to send peacekeepers to the Donbass. One of the leaders of the Belarusian National Congress, the former military Miklai Statkevich spoke about this and other things in an interview with Belsat.

On the termination of military-technical cooperation with Ukraine

When they insistently said "stop" to Lukashenka, he should have stopped. There's only one business going on with Ukraine, I'm sure that these million-dollar supplies of Belarusian fuel are obviously shared with the East (Russia). Or maybe there is something else going to the leadership of Ukraine. And when it starts to be so obvious and the Russian public gets outraged, the Kremlin should say "stop."

On the "neutrality" of Belarus

If Putin needs it, there will be no neutrality here. There will be troops and anything else. But there's another thing: a large-scale war against Ukraine is less likely now than the occupation of Belarus by Russia.

Ukraine has finally rebuilt its nation, its army, it is ready to fight, and, as they say, it's better not to bother anyone there. And Belarus is still being considered, because Russia is aware of the Belarusian army’s morale state, its pro-Russian, pro-Putin, anti-Western sentiments – they are tempted to take advantage of this, because the effect of Crimea on Putin's rating is already declining gradually.

And, perhaps, there can appear such a temptation again: "Should I spark euphoria and raise the rating again?" I really want this not to happen, but, unfortunately, this probability exists, and it grows. We must think about this with you.

About Belarusian Independence and Freedom Day

This man (Aliaksandr Lukashenka) has voluntarily come up with this, turned a normal young state into a branch of Russia in all the spheres! And now, when Russia is getting poorer and more radicalized, it will demand more and more for less money.

And we are really in a very dangerous situation. Therefore, on March 25, the centenary of the restoration of our independence, it is important to come out as massively as possible and show that the Belarusians will defend their state. Even if these authorities and the army are not going to defend it, we will defend it!