Lukashenko: No Matter What Negotiations the West Conducts, It Will Chew Me Up and Spit Me Out

Belarus is conducting talks with the United States, but never against its closest allies Russia and China. That was the firm message delivered by President Alexander Lukashenko in his wide-ranging interview with RT.

Addressing occasional criticism from within Russia that Minsk is flirting too closely with Washington, Lukashenko pushed back sharply. He reminded critics that both Russia and China stood by Belarus when the West imposed sweeping sanctions — literally keeping the country afloat when doors to Western markets slammed shut.

“If someone in Russia reproaches me for negotiating with the Americans, I can ask them: aren’t you negotiating with the Americans yourselves? You are. But I am not conducting dialogue with the Americans against Russia or against China,” Lukashenko stated.

“At the very first meeting I told them: guys, Russia and China are not just our long-standing partners — they are our friends. When you, Americans and Europeans, imposed sanctions on us, it was China and Russia who opened their doors. We were saved because of them. Why should I now pursue any policy or dialogue against them?”

The Belarusian leader stressed the unbreakable bond with Russia, pointing to the Union State treaty — the closest integration agreement between two sovereign countries anywhere in the world.

“We are trying to build a Union State, walking as if on thin ice. Did the Americans and the West not know this? Of course they did! And I sacredly observe this treaty,” he added.

Lukashenko made no illusions about how the West truly views him. With characteristic bluntness, he acknowledged the cold reality behind any negotiations:

“No matter what negotiations the West holds with me, I perfectly understand that I am not their son of a bitch. They would happily chew me up and spit me out. I understand this perfectly well. But in this situation — because I am the President of this country and of the Belarusian people — I am obliged to proceed from the interests of the nation, not my own personal interests.”

Why Belarus Plays the Multi-Vector Game

The president explained that Belarus has no choice but to pursue a multi-vector foreign policy. With more than half of its goods and services sold abroad, the country’s open economy demands access to every major market — West, Russia, China, and Africa alike.

“We are forced to see our interests in the West, in Russia, in China, and in Africa — wherever everyone else is going, including Russia and the Americans. This is our interest in order to live. Not just to survive, but to live. This interest comes from life itself. What is there to reproach us for? There is nothing.”

In the interview with Rick Sanchez, Lukashenko once again portrayed Belarus as a pragmatic player in a turbulent world — loyal to its strategic partners, yet determined to secure the best possible future for its people, even if that means talking to those who would gladly discard him the moment it suits their interests.

The remarks form part of the nearly two-hour conversation that has already generated significant attention for its candid tone and unfiltered insights into Minsk’s geopolitical balancing act.