Zelensky comments on Lukashenko's threats to cut off fuel, power supplies to Ukraine

Zelensky comments on Lukashenko's threats to cut off fuel, power supplies to Ukraine

Ukrinform
President Volodymyr Zelensky has addressed the recent statement by self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on his intention to sever supply of energy resources to Ukraine, noting that such a policy would be a return to the "Stone Age" and that it’s the people who would suffer from such steps in the first place.

The stated this during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Kyiv on February 8, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Recently, someone in Belarus stated that, should there be escalation on the part of Russia, they would immediately cease energy supplies to Ukraine. The man has said these words, so how should we react to this? I asked for some stats on the Ukraine-Belarus trade. So we have a trade turnover of $6 billion, of which $1.5 billion is Ukraine’s exports to Belarus, while $4.5 billion is Belarus exports to Ukraine. That is, if the two countries start restricting mutual trade, who will suffer? In this case, it’s the people who will suffer, of course. If there’s a desire to return to the Stone Age, we can proceed: Belarus will ban something, then Ukraine will ban something, too. But who will suffer? While politicians make decisions, but unfortunately it’s the people who suffer," Zelensky said.

Read also: SBU sees statements by Lukashenko on 'radical nationalists' from Ukraine as political manipulation

As reported, the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, said in an interview with the propaganda YouTube channel Solovyov Live that Minsk would not supply Ukraine with fuel, lubricants and electricity if "Ukraine clashes with Russia."

On Tuesday, February 8, French President Macron was on a working visit to Ukraine. The day before, the French leader visited Moscow, where he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

im

While citing and using any materials on the Internet, links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory. In addition, citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet. Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No. 270/96-VR of July 3, 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No. 2849-Х of March 31, 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice.

© 2015-2024 Ukrinform. All rights reserved.

Website design Studio Laconica

Extended searchHide extended search
By period:
-