Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said Friday, Oct. 16, that US President Donald Trump should not dictate who leads Ukraine, while also urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to face an election.
Lukashenko was responding to questions about Trump’s call for Ukrainians to choose a new president capable of reaching an agreement to end Russia’s war.
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“That is not Trump’s decision. The Ukrainian people will decide who will be president of Ukraine,” Lukashenko said, according to Belarusian state news agency BelTA.
His comments rejected outside intervention in Ukraine’s choice of leader but stopped short of defending Zelensky’s continued tenure.
Lukashenko pointed to Zelensky’s earlier promise to serve only one presidential term, saying he should honor that commitment and go to an election.
“Promises must be kept,” said Lukashenko.
“But there should be no dictating. Trump should not dictate what Ukraine should do.”
Trump has publicly called for a new Ukrainian leader, accusing Zelensky of refusing opportunities to reach a deal to end the war.
Zelensky has rejected calls to resign, saying the choice of Ukraine’s president belongs to Ukrainians. In an interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored, he argued that replacing him would not change the country’s determination to defend itself.
He also said constant Russian attacks made holding an election nearly impossible.
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On Monday, Oct. 12, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed that Trump had suggested Ukraine choose a new president because Zelensky was unwilling to make the decisions needed to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“Trump said that, in his opinion, it is time for a new president,” Peskov said.
“Why? Because the president of Ukraine must make very responsible and very difficult decisions to stop this war.”
Peskov accused Zelensky of failing to demonstrate the political will to take those steps.
“Either Zelensky takes on that responsibility and demonstrates that political will, or he does not,” he said. “So far, he has not.”
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