We, the Belarusian American community and friends of Belarus, urgently call on the U.S. to formally derecognize Lukashenka as the official head of state of Belarus because he was not elected by the Belarusians in the last presidential election in August 2020 and does not represent them.
Lukashenka’s illegitimate regime continues to demonstrate an apparent disregard for the interests of the Belarusian people, puts Belarus’s sovereignty in grave jeopardy, and has entangled the country in a war against a brotherly neighboring nation. The vast majority of Belarusians wholeheartedly oppose the Russian aggression against Ukraine!
It is apparent that Lukashenka is Putin’s vassal and accomplice in the disgraceful and criminal war. By letting Putin use the territory of Belarus as a foothold for the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Lukashenka is trying to preserve his repressive dictatorship. Propped up by Moscow’s patronage, he acts at the expense of the security of the Belarusian nation and against the will of the Belarusian people. Lukashenka’s latest actions also clearly violate the Belarusian Constitution, which proclaims Belarus’s geopolitical neutrality and non-nuclear status.
As the last few days have imperatively demonstrated, Lukashenka is an illegitimate leader who is not only a danger to the people of Belarus, but a grave risk to the stability and peace in the world. It is thus critically important - now more than ever - that President Biden officially derecognize Lukashenka as an official representative of Belarus.
▶ Created on February 27, 2022 by Belarusian American community and friends of Belarus
