Human Rights, Wagner Fighters and the Presidency: Lukashenko Gives One-Hour Interview to CNN

Lukashenko said he has nothing to apologize to the Belarusian people for.

Alexander Lukashenko gave a one-hour interview to CNN. Journalist Matthew Chance asked him about human rights, sovereignty, Wagner fighters and plans to remain in the presidency. Here are the main points. 

Human rights and the West's 'standards'

At the start of the interview, the journalist claimed that human rights were violated and that law enforcement used force during the 2020 events in Belarus. He proposed that Lukashenko apologize to the Belarusian people. 

Alexander Lukashenko

No, I would not want to take advantage of this opportunity. If I want to, I will do it through Belarusian mass media. They work well for us. And what is the point of doing it through CNN? I think this is not a relevant question at all. In principle, I have nothing to apologize for. The latest events in Belarus precisely confirm my thesis. 

Lukashenko claims that Western countries and the US will not be able to fit the whole world into the human rights standards they have invented. He said that 'everything is known by comparison' and pointed to facts of human rights violations in the US. 

In particular, he referred to Ashli Babbitt, who served in the US Air Force for a long time and was killed by a gunshot wound inside the Capitol building when it was stormed by supporters of former President Donald Trump. 

The atmosphere of fear in Belarus

Alexander Lukashenko

The atmosphere of fear is nonsense. Matthew, you are lying. You did walk around Minsk, right? Without guards, without a security service, nobody escorted you. And I don't see any fear in your eyes today. So what are our people afraid of? <...> The main thing in the image of our state, our trademark, if you will, is that our people, at night, in the evening or during the day, with small children, including in strollers, are not afraid to go out on the street. This is our treasure. 

He said he is ready to defend this position with anyone at any level. He does not believe that a CNN journalist, while in Minsk, was frightened of anything. 

"It seems you have come to accuse me of something, but I have no claims against you. Apparently, that is your assignment," Lukashenko said. 

He also said that a real revolutionary goes to the end, and those who flee the country are 'riffraff'. The journalist mentioned the US president's meeting with Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, but Lukashenko refused to discuss 'the female character'. 

The self-proclaimed president of Belarus said he does not wage war against women, so he does not want to give Tikhanovskaya any characterization. However, he noted that Tikhanovskaya herself asked the head of state to take her to the border with Lithuania, although 'the fugitives' try to present it differently, claiming she fled persecution. 

Flights and the EU's revenge

Lukashenko said he is ready to guarantee the safety of flights over Belarus both for the journalist of the American channel personally and for any country. He directed the journalist to ICAO for accurate information on the landing of the Ryanair aircraft. 

Lukashenko rejected suggestions that the Belarusian side is using migrants to take revenge on the European Union for its sanctions policy and for hosting opposition figures. 

Alexander Lukashenko

Only weak people seek revenge. Forgive my immodesty, but I do not consider myself weak. And I do not consider it necessary to take revenge on the European Union. I am not going to. It is you who are taking revenge on them, your country. Why did you leave the European Union? (He is referring to Britain, the journalist's home country — ed.). Because you had to take revenge. But I am not going to take revenge. 

He invited Matthew Chance to visit the border himself and see the real situation. 

Sovereignty and the Wagner fighters

Lukashenko stressed that the sovereignty and independence of any country cannot be bought or sold. 

Alexander Lukashenko

As for Belarus joining the United States, Britain or Russia, that is absolute nonsense. I answered this question recently too. Putin and I, and the leadership of Russia and Belarus in general, are smart enough to create, within two independent, sovereign states, a union that will be even stronger than a unitary entity. This question (about losing independence and joining Russia — ed.) is not on the agenda at all. It is a fabrication of the collective West, as we say. I am telling you this sincerely. 

The self-proclaimed leader of Belarus said that no one from Ukraine or Russia called him about the Wagner fighters. He allegedly learned of these people's arrival in the country exclusively from Belarusian special services. 

Plans to stay in the presidency

The journalist mentioned the ongoing work in Belarus to update the Constitution. He asked Lukashenko whether Belarus will have a second president. 

Alexander Lukashenko

I swear, I am not going to be president even until death. I swear. Everything will depend on the situation in Belarus. If you and your patrons in the West do not interfere in our situation from wherever, and we feel confident and calm as a sovereign independent state, as a people who deserve to be sovereign and independent, believe me, everything will happen sooner than you think. But if you dare to interfere in our events again, as you did last year, it will be bad. It will be as you think now.