Europeans don't want peace in Ukraine, even though they won't win war — Lukashenko

BISHKEK, November 27. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has stated that Europeans are not interested in reaching a peace settlement in Ukraine, yet they are unlikely to emerge victorious in the ongoing conflict.

"The fact is that they don't want peace, but I don't understand why they need a war. They can't win it," Lukashenko remarked during an interview with VGTRK journalist Pavel Zarubin. A video recording capturing his comments was posted on Zarubin's Telegram channel.

Lukashenko expressed optimism that Europeans will eventually recognize the importance of a negotiated resolution. "But these proposals, which have been acknowledged and accepted, have largely been endorsed by President Vladimir Putin. They were proposed by US President Donald Trump and his team. I believe the Europeans will see that this is necessary, and so will the Ukrainians," he said.

He also criticized the European Union's stance on Ukraine's military forces, noting that the EU opposes a cap of 600,000 troops and instead insists on 800,000. "God bless you, 600,000 - maintaining such a large army is no small feat. The Poles, a stronger economy, currently have around 200,000 soldiers. Some say they want more. But 800,000? Can you imagine? Russia has nearly that many, but Russia is vast. They're just holding on to whatever they can," Lukashenko added.