Fear Chokes Lukashenko

• 28.03.2026, 13:08

And no amount of "red lines" will help.

Analyst Sergei Chaly commented on Lukashenko's press conference, which he arranged the day after the negotiations with John Cole and the release of 250 political prisoners.

- This is really a new format for him: never before has Lukashenko invited journalists to the holy of holies. I'm ready to assert that it was an attempt to break the already existing image and justify himself for negotiations with Cole," says Sergei Chaly in the "Belsat" program. - For the last year Lukashenko has been thinking more about his pocket than about the benefit for the country. This can be seen by what sanctions were lifted, what deals he went to Oman, Algeria, etc. for. But apparently, somewhere out there, they decided that Alexander Grigorievich needs to show that he thinks not only about himself. And he was like, "It's easy. I'll just say so." And he said: "I do what is favorable for the country. Not me. I'm a favorable 'president' to you. I don't hang on to power."

But literally in the very next sentence he completely disavowed his thesis by saying that he doesn't really "throw power around." That is, he first utters a thesis that needs to be said, and then immediately - no, how's that, I'll keep sitting. It turns out that he was favorable, because he does not hold on to power. And if he does, it means he's unprofitable. In general, sit down, two, with this did not work.

The journalist further throws in that he is "profitable" also because he "thinks about women". The fact is that before the meeting with journalists, a decree was signed on a free second IVF attempt. Lukashenko was simply told that it was necessary to show that he was not stingy. And he said he would take money from his reserve fund and "give it to women."

This is that mysterious fund with a strange source of income, which is partially financed from the budget and has non-transparent expenditures. We understand that it's a levy on people who can't say no to it. The idea was to show that he is not stingy. And he said, "I'll give it to women," but I'll take it from others before that. Sorry, it is not called a gift.

Analyst believes that the main purpose of the press conference with journalists of state publications, which Lukashenko organized after the talks with Trump's special envoy John Cole, was to justify himself for these negotiations.

- When he returns from Moscow, where Putin humiliated him in some way, he begins to tell his version of events, where he is already a hero. This is exactly the same. Some people noticed that the release of 250 political prisoners and the lifting of sanctions on two banks, the Ministry of Finance and Belaruskali look asymmetrical - as if Lukashenko gave more than he got from the Americans. And during the whole conference he is trying to tell what these negotiations were really about.

But we also have an opportunity to listen to Cole. And there it is clearly understood what Lukashenko is buying into. It's geopolitical greatness. Here, say, Trump himself is talking to me. Cole merely said that "European politicians are pussies," and Lukashenko immediately said, "Yes, that's right, we'll be friends with America now."

Lukashenko said he also told Cole that his "red line" was "not to repeat 2020." What does Cole have to do with this? How can he influence the election results, the mood of people who hate him in his own country for free? 2020 can't be a "red line" - Cole can't do anything about it.

These "red lines" are Lukashenko's ultimatum fear that hasn't let him go for almost six years. He tells how he "won, kicked everyone out and put them in jail." But the twentieth year does not let go - he is still afraid.