War in Ukraine
Zelensky warns Belarus against involvement in Russian war
Updated April 17, 2026 – 8:40 p.mReading time: 1 min.
With a reference to Venezuela, Zelensky urgently warns Minsk. What consequences will Belarus face if it takes part in the war?
According to information from Kiev, Belarus has begun expanding roads and building artillery positions in areas near the border with Ukraine. “We assume that Russia will once again try to drag Belarus into its war (against Ukraine),” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram. He gave instructions to warn Minsk of the consequences. Ukraine is ready to defend its territory and independence.
“The nature and consequences of recent events in Venezuela should deter the leadership of Belarus from making mistakes,” he added. At the beginning of January, Venezuelan head of state Nicolás Maduro and his wife were arrested by US troops overnight in the USA and brought to trial.
Zelensky did not provide any evidence of construction activities in Belarus. In February 2022, the Russian army also invaded Ukraine from Belarusian territory.
