Belarusian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka did not apologize to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the days following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a spokeswoman for the authoritarian leader said, disputing recent comments made by Zelenskiy.
"No apologies were made by the Belarusian president to Zelenskiy for the simple reason that we have nothing to apologize for," spokeswoman Natalia Eismont told Russian media on January 6 while confirming that a phone call did take place.
She was responding to comments made by Zelenskiy during an interview with U.S. podcaster Lex Fridman published a day earlier.
The Ukrainian leader said that in the first days following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Lukashenka apologized for the missiles that were fired from Belarusian territory.
"He said that 'it was not me. Missiles were launched from my territory and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin was the one launching them,'" Zelenskiy related.
Zelenskiy said Lukashenka told him: "Volodymyr, this is not me. I'm not in charge.... I’m not in charge. These are just missiles. This is Putin."
SEE ALSO: More Pardons In Belarus As Lukashenka Prepares To Extend His Rule"I told him, 'You are a murderer, too, I’m just saying.' He told me, 'You must understand, you can't fight the Russians.'"
The Belarus spokeswoman claimed that during the call, Lukashenka "primarily said the conflict broke out on the territory of Ukraine, on Zelenskiy's territory, and it is he who will eventually have to be responsible for the loss of life more than anyone else."
While Belarus has not sent forces to join Russia's war in Ukraine, it has allowed Moscow to use its territory as a staging ground for the full-scale invasion it launched in February 2022.
Moscow and Minsk in 2023 signed documents allowing for the placement of Russian tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus -- the first relocation of such warheads outside Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union.
The announcement sparked immediate criticism from governments around the world, while NATO called it "dangerous and irresponsible."
Lukashenka has waged a relentless clampdown on dissent with the support of Putin since unprecedented street protests erupted in the former Soviet republic after he declared victory in a fraught election for a sixth presidential term in 2020.
A presidential election is scheduled for January 26, one in which Lukashenka is certain to be declared the winner.