Europe Not Ready for Realistic Dialogue with Minsk, Lukashenko Says

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated at the third Minsk International Conference dedicated to Eurasian security issues that European countries are not yet mature enough for realistic dialogue with Minsk, failing to recognize Belarus's strategic capabilities.

During his speech at the Third International Conference on Eurasian Security, Lukashenko emphasized that there has not been a prepared real negotiation agenda for Minsk in Europe. “At this moment, Europe seems to still not be mature enough for a realistic conversation with Minsk. They do not notice our negotiation advantages, such as the natural resources of certain countries. However, we have sound reasoning, patience, and a strategic position that has made us a bridge between the East and the West for centuries,” he said.

“We do not accept any kind of ideological or other aggression. The tense external conditions are, in fact, created by you while simultaneously conducting subversive activities. And then you blame us—'dictatorship, Putin, Lukashenko as aggressors.' We will endure… If you genuinely want normal coexistence, do not attempt to reshape us, and we will not try to reshape you,” he added.

It is noteworthy that the first Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security took place on October 26, 2023, and the second is scheduled for October 31 to November 1, 2024. Last year's conference saw Belarus and Russia propose to develop a charter on Eurasian diversity and multipolarity for the 21st century, calling on other Eurasian states to join in this work.