Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a stark ultimatum to Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, demanding the removal of Russian signal relay stations from Belarus within one week. Speaking on Friday, Zelenskyy warned that if Lukashenko fails to act, Ukraine will take matters into its own hands.
Zelenskyy's Ultimatum
Zelenskyy stated that a week should be sufficient for Lukashenko to remove equipment used by Russia to coordinate attacks on Ukrainian civilians. The relay stations are located in two Belarusian regions bordering Ukraine. “If he doesn’t do it, we’ll do it,” Zelenskyy said, without elaborating on the specific measures Ukraine might take. This comes as Ukraine strengthens its northern defenses amid signs that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be seeking to involve Belarus more directly in the conflict.
Belarus's Role in the War
Recent exchanges of hostile rhetoric between Kyiv and Minsk have escalated, culminating in Lukashenko apologizing to Zelenskyy for past remarks and stating Belarus does not want to participate in the war. However, Zelenskyy dismissed these words, emphasizing the need for concrete actions. “What’s the point of saying he doesn’t want to be in the war? Let him remove this equipment, let him switch it off,” he said.
Zelenskyy also pointed to Belarus's oil refining industry, accusing Lukashenko of being a major supplier of refined oil to the Russian army. “Today he is the main supplier, or one of the main suppliers, for the Russian army. Specifically, Lukashenko, specifically Belarus,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Lukashenko has the power to stop these supplies. Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russia's oil sector to pressure its war capability after more than four years of conflict.
EU and Diplomatic Efforts
European Union chief António Costa defended diplomatic outreach to the Kremlin, stating that the bloc needs a direct channel with Russia to support Ukraine through diplomatic means. Speaking after an EU summit, Costa noted that there are no “credible signs” that Russia is willing to engage. Russia responded on Friday, expressing openness to dialogue but rejecting ultimatums. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Europeans must change their approach to Moscow.
French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters that Europeans would be present at any peace talks on Ukraine, emphasizing that they are not mediators but firmly on Ukraine's side. He stressed the need to clarify and define the EU's position before discussing negotiations.
Diplomatic Tensions with Poland
Poland's President Karol Nawrocki announced plans to strip Zelenskyy of Poland's top honor after the Ukrainian president renamed an army unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a nationalist group that massacred Poles during World War II. This decision risks a severe diplomatic crisis ahead of a conference on Ukraine's reconstruction in Gdansk. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called Poland's move a “strategic” error that “only benefits Moscow.”
Civilian Casualties and Espionage
Russian shelling killed three civilians in Kramatorsk, eastern Donetsk region, on Friday, according to local official Vadym Filashkin. Six others were injured in two attacks near a high-rise apartment building and a car park.
In France, authorities detained and charged a Belarus-born man on suspicion of spying for Russia on a French drone manufacturer. The 48-year-old was arrested on June 3 while filming a drone prototype for a company supplying French and Ukrainian armed forces. France's domestic intelligence agency alleged he sent a video to a contact in Russia.
