Lukashenko: Belarus must be prepared for any scenario

"You know from your parents and grandfathers how difficult it was to survive: in dugouts, trenches, forests... Half-starved, lice-ridden, poorly clothed," the head of state said, recalling the difficult times of the Great Patriotic War. "This cannot be allowed to happen again. Such events must not be repeated in the history of Belarus."

 "Saying all this, I am thinking about not overdoing it, overstraining our society," Aleksandr Lukashenko continued. “Everything we do, we do to prevent this [repetition of the Great Patriotic War]. I don't believe that the well-off Western Europe is welling to go fight in dirty, lousy trenches. They've lost this habit. Our young people, you know, don't want that either. It is we, who were born then, not far from Great Victory, who understand what it cost our parents and grandfathers."
 

"But we have to be ready for anything. I do not believe that they have taken leave of their senses and will cross the line that they drew themselves," the head of state stressed. 

Aleksandr Lukashenko said that he does not believe that the president of France, a nuclear power, Emmanuel Macron, a reasonable, smart person but who declares his readiness to send armed forces to Ukraine tomorrow and start a war, or, for example, the Polish authorities, or someone else will actually do what they say. For them not to do this, we must be strong (only strength is respected now). No matter how small or big we are, we must be strong, focused, monolithic," the head of state said.

"It is the responsibility of mine and and those around me to make sure that we are able to respond to any threat," he added.

The head of state noted that there is a worthy example for the modern generation to follow. These are veterans of the Great Patriotic War. Unfortunately, not many of them are still with us today. In the first post-war years, weakened, having endured so much hardship, deprivation and suffering, they nevertheless found the strength and courage to restore the country. They did "everything and even more" for us, the president noted.

The head of state also addressed special words of gratitude to the liberators of Belarus who live in different parts of the world: "You are our dear people. No matter what happens and no matter how the countries you live today treat Victory, the Belarusian land remembers you all and thanks you."

"Eternal glory to the heroic feat of the peoples of the Soviet Union, who together went through the hard years of war and defeated Nazism," the president said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko wished the veterans and all those who rebuilt the country, representatives of the older generation, all compatriots of the world well-being, prosperity and a happy life under the sky of free Belarus. "I cordially congratulate everyone on the upcoming great holiday. Happy Victory Day, dear friends!” the head of state said. “Let’s live peacefully, raise children, do our jobs. We can't get away from the current difficulties. Because time has chosen us."