Serbia's Vulin backs Lukashenko amid global criticism
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin joined the small group of leaders congratulating Lukashenko on his "victory" in another presidential election. Belarusian oppositionist Pavel Latushka believes Lukashenko is increasingly viewed worldwide as part of the "Russian world."
Aleksandar Vulin, responsible for cooperation with BRICS countries, is under U.S. sanctions due to corruption and ties with Russia. Russia's FSB has awarded him and has visited Russia and Belarus multiple times since the beginning of the Ukraine invasion.
In congratulating Lukashenko, Vulin emphasized that "there is no greater honor than serving your nation."
Who congratulated Lukashenko? List of 12 countries
Vulin was not the first politician to congratulate Lukashenko. According to the dictator's press services, the first call came from the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Subsequently, leaders of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan congratulated Lukashenko on his "victory" in the elections.
Congratulations also came from Beijing. Chairman Xi Jinping emphasized that Belarusian-Chinese relations are "strategic" and currently at their "highest level."
Before noon on Monday, Vladimir Putin called his Belarusian counterpart and congratulated him on a "convincing victory." Lukashenko also received congratulations from leaders of Venezuela, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, and Kyrgyzstan.
"Sham elections"
The West does not recognize the election results. The head of the EU's diplomatic service, Kaja Kallas, announced the introduction of further sanctions against Lukashenko's regime. She stated that "the sham elections in Belarus were neither free nor fair."
Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya declared that the falsified elections in Belarus once again show that Lukashenko's regime fears the will of the people.
"Axis of evil"
- Lukashenko belongs to the emerging axis of evil: Pyongyang, Tehran, Moscow, Beijing, and others. However, even in that group, he will never play the leading role because he is increasingly seen worldwide as part of the "Russian world," said Pavel Latushka to "Rzeczpospolita." Latushka, a former diplomat and Minister of Culture of Belarus, has been in Warsaw for several years and is one of the leaders of the Belarusian democratic opposition.
Belarusian media, citing exit poll results, reported that Lukashenko won 87.6% of the votes on Sunday.
