Russia warns Ukraine over Belarus and cites security treaty
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (photo: Getty Images)
Russia has threatened Ukraine with "the full range of measures" if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not back away from his demands toward Belarus, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, according to Russian media.
What Lavrov said
Lavrov spoke at a roundtable discussion dedicated to resolving the war in Ukraine. There, he commented on statements made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding Belarus.
According to Lavrov, those statements are allegedly aimed at drawing Minsk into the fighting.
"This is clearly aimed at directly involving Belarus in the conflict and expanding the geography of military operations, thereby complicating the possibilities for resolving the conflict through political and diplomatic means," he said.
What measures Russia is threatening to take
Lavrov said that Russia is allegedly prepared to use the full range of mechanisms provided for under its alliance treaty with Belarus to protect it.
Since March 2025, a security guarantees treaty within the framework of the Union State has been in force between the two countries.
Zelenskyy's warning to Belarus: What is known
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously warned Belarus of serious consequences over the deployment of four relay stations on its territory that help Russia guide drones toward Ukrainian cities.
Zelenskyy gave Minsk one week to remove the equipment. Otherwise, Ukraine would do it itself.
The European Commission supported Ukraine's right to self-defense in response to Zelenskyy's ultimatum to Lukashenko. A European Commission spokesperson reminded that Belarus continues to assist Russia in its war against Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Belarusian opposition provided Ukraine with a report outlining eight signs that Minsk may be gradually preparing for direct involvement in the war, including through military expansion and shifting the economy onto a wartime footing.
