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MINSK, 18 August (BelTA) – If NATO sends troops to Ukraine, this will start World War 3, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said in an interview with the Rossiya TV channel, BelTA has learned.
"Ukraine will not be able to defeat Russia. Then who? The West. NATO. We must see this. We see it with President Putin. NATO can send its troops openly (without even hiding it)," the head of state said. “Now they are sending weapons, mercenaries, former military personnel, F-16s and so on. But to plan operations and carry out operations with the hands of NATO from the territory of Ukraine... And better yet, to seize Belarus from the side of vile Poles, with the help of the leaders of Poland, and stretch this line almost to Leningrad, as it once was. This is their dream."
"It would be almost impossible for us to defend ourselves in such a situation. This would be mobilization and all-out war," Aleksandr Lukashenko added.
"If they send NATO troops, this will start WWW3. Then both tactical and strategic nuclear weapons will be used, and the response will be instant and terrible. They also understand this, and we understand it. Therefore, we need to sit down at the negotiating table," the Belarusian head of state said.