Despite the insulting comments toward Armenia by President Aleksander Lukashenko of Belarus that aired on Russian television, the Belarus foreign ministry on Wednesday summoned Armenia’s Charge d’Affaires in Minsk to scold him about the protests those comments sparked in Yerevan.
In an interview with the Russian Rossiya Television that aired on Tuesday, Lukashenko lavishly praised Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, while, at the same, time criticizing—and insulting—Armenia, saying that some former Soviet states seek to benefit from Russia without offering anything in return. He blamed Armenia, however, for only “wanting to take from Russia.”
“Who needs Armenia except us? No one,” Lukashenko charged, challenging Yerevan to develop Armenia’s economy with its own resources and allies, such as “France or Macron.”
Lukashenko’s comments prompted a pro-Western group, “For the sake of the Homeland,” to stage a protest in front of the Belarus Embassy in Yerevan. Angry protesters threw eggs, tomatoes and potatoes at the building, demanding that Belarus leave Armenia.
The group also spearheaded a letter calling on Armenian authorities to expel Belarus and cut all ties with the Russia-allied nation.
In summoning the Armenian official in Minsk, the Belarus foreign ministry called the incident in Yerevan “an act of vandalism” and demanded that Armenian authorities take proper course of action and punish the protesters.
Official Yerevan has yet to comment on Lukashenko’s comments and the actions of the protesters.
Belarus and Lukashenko, who has been the leader of the country since 1994, overtly have supported Azerbaijan and President Ilham Aliyev, including before and after the 2020 war.
In May, Lukashenko was hosted by Aliyev in the occupied city of Shushi, where he praised the Azerbaijani leader and said that he had not only been aware of Baku’s plans to try to obliterate Artsakh by force, but also supported that plan during his meetings with Aliyev held before the 2020 war.
This prompted a diplomatic row between Yerevan and Minsk, with the Armenian foreign ministry recalling its ambassador to Belarus. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also said that no Armenian official will visit Minsk as long as Lukashenko was in power.
In a speech to parliament earlier this summer, Pashinyan also alluded to Lukashenko’s support of Azerbaijan, saying that he was one of two fellow CSTO members that overtly supported the aggression launched by Baku on Artsakh.
