Ukraine refuses to address Lukashenko as President of Belarus
Ukraine has not recognized the legitimacy of the elections in Belarus and, accordingly, Alexander Lukashenko's victory. So from November 5, when the term of the presidential term expires, the Ukrainian authorities will specify the current Belarusian president in official documents only by his name, stated the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
"Lukashenka already hasn’t any, and the opposition still lacks legitimacy. When the question arose, with whom Ukraine is - with several hundred invited to the so-called "inauguration" or with millions on the other side of the closed door, the choice was obvious. Ukraine is with millions of those who were not invited to this solemn action behind closed doors," the minister said.
Kuleba also said that Ukraine will study the decision to impose sanctions against Belarus when it is adopted by the European Union, but Ukrainian interests will be considered first in this issue. At the same time, official contacts between Ukraine and Belarus will remain suspended for the time being, except for the working diplomatic channels between the foreign ministries of the two countries.
According to the Belarusian Election Commission, Alexander Lukashenko won with 80% of the votes in the August 9 elections. Last week there was a secret ceremony of his inauguration. Most European countries, as well as the United States and Canada, did not recognize the election results.
Earlier it was reported that a petition was filed in International Court of Justice in the Hague demanding to initiate a case against Alexander Lukashenko for crimes against humanity, and the opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya began to form a shadow government of Belarus.