"Resolve the issue so I can fly in and out calmly." Lukashenka explained why he didn't fly to Washington
He stated this to the State Secretary of the Union State, Sergey Glazyev, during his visit to Minsk.

Photo: Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP
"Because of these sanctions, was I supposed to fly through the Republic of South Africa to Washington? If you want to see me there, resolve the issue so I can fly in and out calmly," he said.
He also responded to accusations that he was afraid.
"I have never been afraid of anyone and am not afraid. That is complete nonsense. 'Oh, Lukashenka will be seized by someone there and not allowed home.' Well, that's complete stupidity; I can't even imagine that happening to any other president. So I don't even want to discuss it. Furthermore: Putin didn't let me go to the USA. I didn't even know I was invited to the council when I spoke with Putin. They couldn't even put that together. Putin is such a person, he might hint at something, but to not let me go... on the contrary, he would have said, pass this, this and this to Donald. Not to represent the interests of the Russian Federation," the politician said.
He also noted that Belarus does not have a billion to allocate for the reconstruction of Gaza, "which was barbarically bombed."
"And therefore, under these ruins, human destinies, especially children's, for me, this is unacceptable. And what are we to do there? The matter is in the Peace Council, and we will definitely participate in it at the presidential level. Perhaps not in Washington. Somewhere in Europe or the Middle East, maybe in Israel, closer here, in Turkey, further meetings of this Council will take place. We will participate in it," he added.
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А беларусы только спасибо скажут