Zelensky issues an ultimatum to Belarus and threatens reprisals within a week

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky On Friday, he issued a direct warning to Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, giving him one week to remove equipment that Kyiv accuses Russia of using in its attacks against Ukraine. Otherwise, Ukraine reserves the right to take action itself, he said.

At a press conference in Kyiv, Zelensky asserted that transmission relay stations located in two regions of Belarus bordering Ukraine were being used by Russian forces to support their military operations. According to him, these facilities facilitated attacks targeting civilian areas in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president rejected Minsk's repeated claims that Belarus was not directly involved in the conflict. "What good is it to say he doesn't want to participate in the war? Let him remove that equipment, let him disable it," Zelensky said, believing that a week was sufficient time to act.

“If he doesn’t, we will,” he added, without specifying what measures Ukraine might take. Reuters notes that it has not been able to independently verify the claims regarding this equipment located on Belarusian territory.

Beyond military matters, Zelensky also addressed the Belarusian oil refining industry. He stated that this sector had become a major supplier to Russia since the start of the war and suggested that Lukashenko had the means to reduce this economic support to Moscow.

These statements mark a hardening of Kyiv's tone towards Belarus, a close ally of Russia since the beginning of the conflict. Although Belarusian forces are not officially participating in the fighting, Ukraine regularly accuses Minsk of allowing Moscow to use its territory for military purposes.

According to Reuters, the exiled Belarusian opposition leader supported Zelensky's direct approach. This latest warning comes as tensions remain high across the front and Ukraine continues to denounce Belarus's indirect involvement in Russian operations.