Zelenskiy Issues One-Week Ultimatum to Lukashenko Over Russian Support

Beyond the immediate demand for the removal of military hardware, Zelenskiy called on the Belarusian leader to sever the country's critical oil supply lines to the Russian war machine. Kyiv contends that Lukashenko retains sufficient leverage to halt this logistical support, a move that would directly impact Russia's ongoing offensive capabilities. This ultimatum follows a broader campaign by Ukraine to cripple the Russian energy sector to starve the invasion of resources.

The strategic pressure is backed by Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who argues that the regime must be engaged from a position of uncompromising strength. She maintains that any genuine desire for peace from Minsk must be demonstrated through the immediate cessation of military cooperation with the Kremlin and a pivot toward internal domestic dialogue. While Lukashenko has previously attempted to thaw relations with the West by releasing political prisoners, his government remains deeply integrated into Russia’s military operations, a dynamic that has persisted since the initial February 2022 invasion.