Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has argued that Vladimir Zelensky failed to shift Ukraine’s political trajectory, pointing to a lack of experience as a key factor. In his view, Ukrainian society had already been swept up by strong nationalist sentiment-an influence the country’s leader proved unable to counter.

In an interview with RT, Lukashenko said Zelensky did not manage to reverse the course of Ukrainian policy, which, he suggested, had been shaped by what he described as a surge of nationalism among the population.

He also criticized Kyiv’s current approach, claiming that the Ukrainian leadership has once again leaned toward militarization while relying heavily on Western backing, expecting continued financial and military support.

Drawing a comparison with his own early years in power, Lukashenko noted that he, too, had once lacked political experience but compensated with practical knowledge and a firm grounding. In contrast, he argued, Zelensky’s rise was built largely on his media profile-a fact voters were aware of at the time.

According to Lukashenko, the electorate had limited alternatives when making their choice, and now, he suggested, the country is bearing the consequences-at a significant cost.