Volodymyr Zelensky did not state that Ukraine is prepared to carry out a “pre-emptive strike on Belarus” or even to “attack Belarus first.” This quote distorts the meaning of his words: he was speaking about Ukraine’s right to respond preemptively to military threats and aggressive actions — not about attacking Belarusian territory.
Russian Telegram channels and propaganda outlets are spreading the claim that “Zelensky threatened a preemptive strike on Belarus” and allegedly stated, “If there is a threat from Belarusian territory or Russian border regions, Ukraine is prepared to act preemptively.” These reports are being presented as evidence that Ukraine is “expanding the war” and is “ready to attack its neighbor first.”
In reality, in his address the Ukrainian president spoke about the need to strengthen defenses in the north of the country and about Ukraine’s readiness to prevent new acts of aggression. He emphasized that Kyiv is reinforcing the protection of the Chernihiv and Kyiv regions against a possible threat from Russian and Belarusian territory, which Moscow is attempting to draw more deeply into the war.
The context of the Ukrainian president’s statement is also tied to the fact that in 2022, Russia already used Belarusian territory to attack Ukraine: the invasion was launched from Belarusian soil, and missile strikes were carried out from there as well. Zelensky is referencing this experience and emphasizing that Ukraine does not intend to be caught off guard again if such a scenario is repeated. At the same time, he stresses that it is Russia that is seeking to draw Belarus further into the war — a point he has made in other public addresses as well. Ukrainian officials have also noted the growing threats and Moscow’s attempts to expand the aggression. Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha briefed NATO allies on the “growing threats from Belarus” and called for deterrence measures to prevent the expansion of Moscow’s and Minsk’s aggression — that is, to prevent an attack, not to provoke one.
Ukraine’s stance is grounded on both international and domestic law. The right of a state to self-defense is enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter, which explicitly recognizes the inherent right to individual and collective self-defense in the event of an armed attack. Ukrainian legislation — including the Law of Ukraine “On the Defense of Ukraine” and other national security instruments — also proceeds from the premise that Ukraine is entitled to strengthen its defenses and take measures to prevent and repel aggression if an attack is being carried out or prepared from the territory of another state. These norms govern the actions of the Ukrainian military and political leadership: they concern the protection of Ukraine’s own territory and population, not the initiation of war against other countries.
The purpose of such publications is to portray Ukraine as the aggressor, to divert attention from the fact that it is Russia that is using Belarusian territory to wage war against Ukraine, and to justify the continued military and political involvement of Minsk under the pretext of “defending against a Ukrainian threat.”StopFake has previously debunked another fake claiming that Ukraine was allegedly preparing to attack Belarus.
