No Armenian official will visit Minsk while Lukashenka is in power - Pashinyan

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that neither he nor any other Armenian official would visit Belarus as long as Aliaksandr Lukashenka remains in power. He also thinks that Lukashenka should apologize.

"One of the CSTO leaders stated that he participated in the preparation of the 44th war, supported it, believed in it, and wished for Azerbaijan's victory. How am I supposed to discuss issues with the president of Belarus in the format of the CSTO after that?" Pashinyan said.
 

During his visit to Azerbaijan in May, Lukashenka told Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev: "I also thought, remembered our conversation before the war, before your war of liberation, when we philosophized together over lunch. Then we concluded that it was possible to win the war. It's important. It is vital to keep this victory. Lukashenka's press service did not quote this remark, but it was quoted by the Azerbaijani state agency Azertaj.

As for Armenia's membership in the CSTO, the final decision on the country's withdrawal from the organization has not yet been made. If, for example, Belarus leaves the CSTO or Lukashenka finds such words of apology and explanation that will be acceptable to the Armenian people, the situation around the CSTO could theoretically "change," Pashinyan said. At the same time, he will be forced to communicate with Lukashenka in the format of the EAEU and the CIS.

Yerevan has recalled its ambassador in Minsk for consultations.