Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko disclosed during a speech to youth leaders in Minsk that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin frequently joke and debate about who is the ultimate dictator. Lukashenko’s remarks at the ‘Youth. Belarus. Future.’ event on September 17 highlight the strong ties between Moscow and Minsk, with Lukashenko being Europe’s longest-serving head of state.
Since 1994, Lukashenko has maintained his rule over Belarus, while Putin has led Russia since 2012, having also served as president from 2000 to 2008.
‘You know what they say about me?’ Lukashenko asked the audience during his September 17 address, according to Novaya Gazeta. ‘[I am] the last dictator, the second-to-last dictator in Europe. Dictator, dictator. Vladimir Putin and I often joke and argue over which of us is more of a dictator.’
Lukashenko continued by acknowledging the label given to him, stating, ‘They say I’m the last dictator, the last dictator in Europe. Dictator – so be it. Well, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and I often argue, jokingly, about which of us is the bigger dictator.’
At 72, Lukashenko, a former Soviet collective farm manager, is known as Putin’s closest international ally. Although Belarus has not sent ground troops to Ukraine, it plays a key strategic role for Moscow by serving as a staging ground for Russian military support in the ongoing conflict. Belarus supplies crucial weapons components and allows military operations from its territory.
An August report by Ukrainska Pravda mentioned the construction of a new railway capable of handling military trains in Belarus’s Gomel Oblast near the Ukraine border.
The collaboration between the two countries remains robust as Western pressure increases on Moscow and its allies. The leaders often communicate, with Lukashenko congratulating Putin on September 21 following Russian election results.
During his address at the youth forum, Lukashenko discussed political succession, asserting no one is ready to assume power in Belarus.
‘Never believe those who say that Lukashenko is ‘clinging to power with blue-knuckled hands’,’ he told the audience.
‘Good Lord, let them say it. I have had my fill of this power to the point where I could not possibly want any more of it.’
Lukashenko challenged the youth by questioning their readiness to take control of the country and maintain leadership.
Western nations continue economic pressure on Minsk due to strict policies. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys recently emphasized the Baltic nation’s firm stance:
‘We do not see any reasons why our position on Belarus should soften as Belarus is not changing its behaviour,’ Budrys said.
‘On our side, we have to be very exact and continue what works, and that is the pressure on the regime.’
Despite international sanctions, Lukashenko announced on September 11 that Belarus has started exporting potash, a key fertilizer ingredient, to the United States. Although Western nations maintain restrictions over human rights issues, U.S. sanctions on Belarusian potash were lifted after recent political prisoner releases, while European Union sanctions remain.
Emma Bussey is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked at The Telegraph with the U.S. overnight team, across desks including foreign, politics, news, sport, and culture.