The Kremlin on Thursday denied media reports accusing Moscow of trying to pressure neighboring Belarus to broaden the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
“As for the message from this publication that you mentioned, it is absolutely not true,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to a question by a reporter at a press briefing.
Citing former and current Russian and European officials, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Moscow commenced a “pressure campaign” on Minsk earlier this year “in hopes of using it as a springboard” to expand the over-four-year conflict or to launch nonconventional operations against NATO members.
“We have a Union State, and we have a whole list of joint projects on the agenda. We have the most advanced form of integration with Belarus, which is ongoing, and Belarus is our closest ally,” Peskov went on to say.
Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of trying to draw Belarus deeper into the war, accusing Moscow of considering operations from Belarusian territory toward Ukraine or potentially against a NATO member state.
Most recently, Zelenskyy warned Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last Friday to remove signal relay stations from Belarus’ territory, saying Ukraine would act if they are not dismantled within a week.
Zelenskyy said Monday that these stations stopped operating, citing information reported to him from Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and his country’s intelligence services.
Peskov, commenting on the claims, said he did not have information in this regard.
"The relevant agencies are responsible for the stations' operation. On this matter, I believe you should direct your questions to Minsk rather than Zelenskyy in Kyiv. They will give you an answer there," he said.
Separately, speaking at a meeting with the Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyov in Minsk, Lukashenko said he recently received a delegation from Ukraine.
"Right here, not long ago, there were representatives of Zelenskyy. I told them directly… 'Guys, pass this on to your president: if he thinks he can talk to us like that and still drag us into war, then he must understand that the quality of the war will change instantly. This war will be completely different,'" he said.
According to him, he soon received a response from Zelenskyy, confirming that Kyiv understands that Minsk cannot be dragged into the conflict.
"Belarus has enough of its own land and economy; what we need is peace, and only peace, but on fair terms," he emphasized. “We do not need war. We have enough land, enough economy, and enough problems. So, no confrontation whatsoever.”
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a roundtable discussion on Ukraine on Tuesday that Moscow is ready to take all necessary measures under its security treaty with Belarus in response to “threats” by Ukraine.
Turning to the Ukraine Recovery Conference currently underway in Gdansk, Poland, Peskov pointed to a contradictory stance—Poles criticize Ukraine for honoring individuals who collaborated with Nazi Germany while simultaneously working to gather funding for the country's reconstruction.
Last week, Zelenskyy awarded the name of "UPA heroes" (the Ukrainian Insurgent Army), known for the cruel killing of Russians, Belarusians, Poles, and Jews during World War II, to one of the army units.
In response, Polish President Karol Nawrocki decided to strip Zelensky of Poland's highest state award, the Order of the White Eagle. Zelenskyy, for his part, canceled his trip to Gdansk, where a conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine is being held, sending Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko instead.
Commenting on media reports claiming Britain plans to sell 100 tons of Russian oil from a seized tanker, Peskov alleged that throughout its history, London has not hesitated to resort to “pirate methods.”
As for the media reports claiming US President Donald Trump "authorized" Ukraine's strikes deep inside Russia's territory, the Kremlin spokesman said: “Ukrainian media cannot be trusted.”
He pointed out that the US is making efforts aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine.
"Making such efforts while being involved in the war on one side is impossible. And, of course, we know that the US negotiating team fully understands this and is well aware of it. That is what we proceed from," he said.
The official noted that US President Donald Trump has stated that after the conclusion of the conflict around Iran, he intends to return to mediating the Ukrainian settlement.
Moscow is very grateful and highly appreciates Washington's efforts in this direction and looks forward to continuing dialogue with American negotiators on the subject of the Ukrainian settlement, he said.
