Lukashenko described how he responded to Macron's question about the invasion of Ukraine
Belarus’s self-proclaimed president, Alexander Lukashenko, stated that during a phone call he invited French President Macron to visit Minsk to discuss a resolution to the war in Ukraine.
During the lengthy conversation, the French leader strongly cautioned the Belarusian side against direct involvement in the armed conflict and outlined in detail the consequences of a possible renewed offensive by troops from the north.
The Belarusian dictator shared behind-the-scenes details of the international conversation with members of the press in Astana, where he arrived immediately after concluding the hour-and-a-half-long talks with the Kremlin leader.
According to Lukashenko, he began this conversation with a tough internal stance, demonstrating his unwillingness to listen to any ultimatums from European leaders.
“It’s better not to warn me. I always think ahead, unlike them,” the Belarusian leader told reporters, recounting his opening remarks.
“It’s better not to warn me.” Lukashenko shared details of his conversation with Macron pic.twitter.com/KqJmkfbafy
— GLAVKOM (@GLAVCOM_UA) May 29, 2026
During the ensuing conversation, Macron emphasized the existence of alarming intelligence regarding a possible mobilization of the Belarusian army and its direct involvement in combat operations.
“Alexander Grigoryevich, there is information that you are planning to enter the war. God forbid,” I interrupted him. “I don’t plan to enter anywhere—why would I?” replied the self-proclaimed head of the republic, attempting to deny rumors of mobilization efforts.
The French president’s next concern pertained to the recent joint tactical nuclear exercises that Belarus had demonstratively conducted alongside the Russian Federation.
“—So you conducted nuclear exercises with Vladimir Vladimirovich; do you want to use nuclear weapons? —God bless you. I’ll use them if aggression is directed against Belarus,” Lukashenko quoted a fragment of the dispute regarding the deployment of non-strategic weapons.
During the phone call, the parties also paid special attention to the likelihood of a new transit offensive into Ukrainian territory from the Belarusian border and the inevitable response from the Western coalition.
“We concluded the conversation with Ukraine and the consequences if we attack alongside the Russians from the north. You understand that we will be forced to respond, but we must move toward peace, and we are moving toward peace,” the Belarusian politician summarized Emmanuel Macron’s position.
In response to Paris’s reservations, Lukashenko proposed moving European diplomatic activity directly to Minsk.
“If you were moving toward peace, you would come to Minsk, and Vladimir Vladimirovich and I would meet you here—that’s what I told him jokingly. I don’t rule out such a meeting. We need to call Putin, come over, sit down like men, and talk,” the dictator stated.
Lukashenko spoke about Belarusian artificial intelligence
As a reminder, Belarus has begun exercises to practice the use of nuclear weapons.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia is attempting to draw Belarus deeper into the war against Ukraine and is considering new scenarios for aggression from its territory.
Belarus’s self-proclaimed president, Alexander Lukashenko, held a meeting on arming the military and announced the preparation of a new state armament program for 2026–2030.
