Lukashenka about Yanukovich: He is no president for me

Ukrainian runaway governor had better sacrificed himself, the Belarusan leader believes.

Aliaksandr Lukashenka gave an interview to the Ukrainian TV show Shuster Live, informs the press-service of the head of the state.

BelTA agency informs that Savik Shuster, the author and a host of one of the most popular, democratic, and freedom-loving Ukrainian TV shows Shuster Live, asked Aliaksandr Lukashenka to answer several topical albeit not always pleasant questions.

“As far as Yanukovich is concerned, he is no president for me. In his latest speech he said he is alive and well and he is the commander in chief of the armed forces. Let me ask you one question: where is his army?” said Aliaksandr Lukashenka in regard to the Yanukovich’s actions over the last months. “A president has to be with his or her nation however hard it may be. Even if you are shot tomorrow, it is your destiny. You are supposed to make such sacrifices. There is no other way. One day he sits in his residence, reveling in his power, the next day when things go south, he flees? That’s no way to behave for a nation’s leader”.

Lukashenka agrees with the Ukrainian deputies: “Therefore, it is impossible to argue against the statements made in the Ukrainian Rada saying that president Yanukovich has removed himself from his office”.

“I don’t want everyone to think that Lukashenka is a turncoat since he was a friend of Yanukovich’s and now talks like that. I criticize him as a friend. Understand me any way you want. Presidents should not act like that, - says Aliaksandr Lukashenka. - If you have no army, get a gun and go alone. You may be killed… So? We all will be dead sooner or later. But neither your friends nor your relatives nor your sons will be ashamed of you. It is my stance”.

The interview with the Belarus president will be aired by the Ukraine One TV channel as part of the Shuster Live show at 19:30 Kyiv time on Friday, 28 March.