Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko shared insights during a speech to youth leaders in Minsk about his interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. They frequently joke about which of them is the ultimate dictator. Lukashenko’s comments during the ‘Youth. Belarus. Future.’ event on September 17 emphasized the strong ties between Moscow and Minsk. He is Europe’s longest-serving leader, presiding over Belarus since 1994. Putin has been leading Russia since 2012, with previous terms as president from 2000 to 2008.
Lukashenko addressed the audience, discussing perceptions of his leadership, according to Novaya Gazeta. ‘You know what they say about me?’ he questioned rhetorically. They label him as Europe’s last dictator. During their conversations, he and Putin humorously argue over which of them is more dictatorial.
Lukashenko, a former Soviet farm manager, is closely allied with Putin. Belarus has not committed ground troops to the Ukraine conflict, but its strategic position is crucial. Belarus serves as a staging area for Russian military operations, providing key weapons and allowing strikes from its territory. The Kyiv Post reports this reliance, and Ukrainska Pravda highlights new railway construction capable of handling military trains near Ukraine.
The two countries’ alliance strengthens as Western pressures mount against Moscow and its allies. Frequent contacts between the two leaders follow political events, such as elections. After a meeting in Moscow on August 27, Lukashenko congratulated Putin on September 21 for the Russian election results. He praised the high voter turnout and majority secured by the United Russia party as a response to attempts to discredit the election.
Addressing succession in Belarus, Lukashenko claimed no one is ready to assume control. ‘Never believe those who say I’m clinging to power with blue-knuckled hands,’ he stated. Expressing his weariness of power, he added, ‘I’ve had my fill of this power.’ He challenged the youth: ‘The only question is whether you are capable today of taking over the country and holding on to it.’
Internationally, Western nations exert economic pressure on Belarus. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys affirmed this stance, citing Belarus’s unchanged behavior. Although some U.S. sanctions on Belarusian potash, a key export for fertilizers, were lifted, European sanctions persist. Lukashenko announced on September 11 that Belarus has resumed potash exports to the United States.
Fox News writer Emma Bussey reported the developments. Before working at Fox News Digital, she was with The Telegraph, handling various topics including foreign affairs, politics, and culture.
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