Putin wants to drag Belarus into war - Zelensky

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia could use Belarus more actively to threaten neighboring countries. According to him, in the spring, summer or fall, Putin will deploy his forces there to put pressure on Poland, Lithuania and other countries, UNN reports.

The President of Ukraine noted that each country should independently determine the level of defense spending it needs for its own security. He emphasized that given Putin's ambitions and his actions, which indicate an unwillingness to stop the war, it is clear that the Russian leader does not intend to abandon his aggressive plans and will continue to implement them.

He will think about other countries. I am sure of this, I warn about it. I am talking about this absolutely openly, frankly. You will see that he will provoke other countries. Maybe Poland will be next or the Baltic countries. And this is not just another rhetoric. You will see that in the spring, summer or fall, he will deploy forces on the territory of Belarus. And many Europeans, maybe even the United States, will say: "Oh, this is intimidation. This is intimidation of Poland, intimidation of Lithuania, intimidation of our other Baltic partners. But you'll see that he will do everything to drag them in

According to him, Putin will think about how to provoke them.

I don't know if there will be an invasion, but he will drag Belarus into a war in this way. Although, in my opinion, after they attacked Ukraine with missiles, they were already in this war. But their people are not, their army is not, not yet. Putin really wants this 

Zelenskyy emphasized that everything possible must be done to stop Putin, as his aggression poses a threat not only to Ukraine but also to other countries. According to him, when talking about defense spending, states should first of all think about their own security.

Speaking about defense spending, Zelenskyy noted that each country should determine the level of funding it needs - whether it is 2-3% of the budget or more. He reminded that Ukraine today is forced to spend all its resources on defense, and this should be a response for those who do not want to find themselves in the same situation in the future. The President emphasized that the allocation of funds for defense now will allow avoiding much higher costs in the future. He also noted that support for Ukraine is part of the defense of other countries, as it helps to deter Russian aggression.

Recall

Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko claimedthat President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would do everything to drag Belarus into war.