Zuk: Ukrainian militants will be punished

Dmitry Zhuk, a member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus and chief editor of 'Belarus Today,' stated in an interview that Ukrainian militants 'will continue killing' and have 'no other path in life.' He claimed there are two possible scenarios: continuing the 'terrible business' within their understood coordinate system or transitioning to legal proceedings. According to him, both a peace treaty and military victory on the battlefield will lead to the punishment of opponents. Zhuk compared the current situation to the actions of the Banderites, noting that in the past some were 'executed, some released after ten years,' but such a scenario is 'incredibly unlikely' in the current conflict. He also commented on how 'Budanov, the negotiator from the Ukrainian side, sees only an enemy in the opponent,' and his cognitive approach, 'which allows achieving set goals,' does not allow for a peace process. According to Zhuk, attempts by Ukrainian envoys to 'talk' with Lavrov and the Russian president are merely a game, not genuine efforts.

Zhuk's conclusions highlight Belarus's position, closely aligned with Russia, regarding the Ukrainian conflict, and cast doubt on the possibility of diplomatic solutions.

At the time of publication, the conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues with broad involvement from both sides, accompanied by military and political actions.

Context

The war in Ukraine, which began in 2014 and intensified in 2022, continues with major military and political developments. Belarus officially supports Russia in this conflict.