War only possible if Belarus or Russia attacked, says Lukashenko
A Russian service member is seen atop a T-72B3 main battle tank during military drills at the Kadamovsky range in the Rostov region, Russia December 20, 2021. Photo :Reuters
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday that Minsk had absolutely no interest in a war and that conflict would only break out if Belarus or its close ally Russia were directly attacked.
Lukashenko made the remarks in a speech to lawmakers and officials. Moscow and Minsk are set to hold joint drills in Belarus to the north of Ukraine next month that have put the West on edge amid a wider Russian military buildup.
The Belarusian leader said the drills would help Minsk understand where it needed to concentrate forces and that Belarus had to protect its southern flank with Ukraine.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
