In an interview with the American television channel Newsmax TV, the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, characterized Vladimir Putin as a "wolfhound" in the world of politics.
“He is a normal person with good human qualities. But in politics, he is indeed a 'wolfhound'. This person has significantly managed a large country for a long time, and his abilities in governance and foreign policy are worthy of respect,” noted Lukashenko.
It is also important to mention that the day before, Putin made several statements regarding Ukraine and its allies.
During an extended meeting of the Ministry of Defense, the President of Russia stated that if the Ukrainian side refuses to discuss real problems, Russia will be forced to achieve its goals by military means.
“We have always tried to resolve conflicts through diplomatic means. However, if the opponents and their Western patrons refuse constructive dialogue, Russia will seek to reclaim its historical territories through military actions,” Putin said.
One of the key issues Putin identified was the creation and expansion of a security buffer zone, noting that the Russian army will consistently work on this task.
The idea of creating a "sanitary zone" at the border was first voiced by Putin in June 2023. In May 2024, he confirmed plans to form such a zone in the Kharkiv region, which, according to him, is necessary to protect against shelling of the border territories of Russia.
In March 2025, during a visit to the military command post in the Kursk region, Putin suggested considering the possibility of creating a "security zone" along the Russian border. At the end of May of the same year, he reported that the Russian military is working on creating a "necessary buffer zone" to protect the Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk regions.
According to Putin, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia did not become an equal member of the European family; rather, it was "continuously pressured from all sides." He also pointed to the absence of true civilization in the West, claiming that "only degradation reigns here."
“After the collapse of the USSR, we thought we would quickly become part of the civilized Western community. However, today we see that this is just an illusion,” added Putin.
He also noted that issues concerning Russia were resolved from a position of strength, and that the West used forceful methods to advance its interests regarding Russia.
The President of Russia stated that the administration of Joe Biden and "European allies" aimed to destroy Russia for their own benefit. Putin added: “They wanted to reclaim what was lost in the past and attempt to take revenge,” but these attempts, according to him, have failed.
Putin claims that it was the West that unleashed the war in 2022, and Russia is merely trying to end it. “We did not start the war in 2022; it was the destructive forces in Ukraine, supported by the West, that caused the conflict. We are only trying to stop it,” he concluded.
