During a joint press conference with Honduran President Nasry Asfura on June 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sharply criticized Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko for his ongoing support of Russia's military operations. Despite multiple claims of not wanting to be involved in the conflict, Zelensky accused Lukashenko of being disingenuous, stating, "When he says he does not want to be involved in the war, he should be honest, at least with his own people."

Zelensky emphasized that not only Lukashenko but the entire country could be dragged into the conflict. He pointed out that Russia has utilized Belarusian territory since the early stages of the war, including launching missiles from Belarusian soil targeting Ukraine.

Furthermore, Zelensky referred to earlier discussions with Lukashenko, indicating that the Belarusian leader attempted to deny responsibility by claiming that only Russia was conducting attacks. Zelensky firmly rejected such explanations, asserting that Belarus has deployed communication towers in two regions adjacent to Ukraine, which serve as relay systems to coordinate Russian drone attacks on Ukraine's rear areas, rather than frontline positions.

"If he truly does not want to be part of the war, he should dismantle and deactivate them," Zelensky stated, adding that he believes one week is sufficient for Belarus to remove these communication towers. He warned, "If he does not do so, we will."

Zelensky also accused Belarus of playing a crucial role in supplying fuel to the Russian military, suggesting that Minsk could limit exports of this essential resource. "Today, Belarus is one of the leading suppliers to the Russian army," he noted. "Can this be stopped? I believe that it is entirely within his power."

As of now, officials from Belarus and Russia have not commented on Zelensky's statements. However, in a recent interview with Al Arabiya, Lukashenko claimed that Belarus is a peaceful nation that only wishes for the conflict to end quickly, assuring that Ukraine has nothing to fear from Belarus. He mentioned the cultural ties between Belarusian and Ukrainian families, stating, "Many Belarusian families live in Ukraine, just as many Ukrainians live in southern Belarus. These are multicultural families who marry, raise children, and live like ordinary people, without borders."

Lukashenko also apologized to Zelensky for his previous harsh remarks, explaining that such comments were made in response to perceived threats from Ukraine, including claims that Ukraine had identified hundreds of potential targets in Belarus and knew Lukashenko's location.

Zelensky's ultimatum represents one of the most direct public warnings from Kyiv to Minsk since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in early 2022. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has previously allowed Russia to use its territory for attacks on Ukraine and has provided various forms of support. Last month, Lukashenko dismissed suggestions that Belarus would become more deeply involved in the war, asserting that he would defend alongside Russia in the event of aggression.