 Belarus is preparing for a direct war with Ukraine. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said that the West is trying to use Ukraine against Minsk, but Kiev has so far refrained from provocations. Today, security for us, not only for Russia, is even more important. You know the designs of our Western neighbors, not only Ukraine, they are trying to use Ukraine against Belarus as well. But what I find amazing and pleasantly surprising is that Ukraine is still holding on. They are refrained from provocations against Belarus, although our Western neighbors are actively pushing it. You know who Lukashenko said at a meeting with Russian Foreign Ministry Sergei Lavrov? According to the Belarusian news agency, Beiter, he focused the attention on how important security issues were for Belarus at the moment. Lukashenko stressed that, therefore, we will have to endure this period. Last year showed that we will manage. We adhere to the same stance, the Belarusian leader said. This opinion came on the back of a warning by senior Ukrainian officials and military commanders that Russia may try another attempt at invading the country from the north. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said before this that Ukraine was ready for all possible defense scenarios against Moscow and its ally. Protecting our border, both with Russia and Belarus, is our constant priority, Zelensky said. We are preparing for all possible defense scenarios. Lukashenko has previously allowed the Kremlin to use his country as a platform to send tens of thousands of Russian troops into Ukraine, while Russian war jets have taken off from Belarusian bases. But Lukashenko has not joined the war directly or sent his own troops into the fight, at times even subtly criticizing the invasion, saying he felt the conflict was dragging on. Experts remain skeptical about the chance of Belarusian troops considered relatively weak entering Ukraine, even if Putin is pushing for it. Some analysts have proposed that Lukashenko's recent maneuvers were a ploy designed by Moscow to tie up Ukrainian forces near the border to prevent their deployment to other areas. Belarusian forces remain extremely unlikely to invade Ukraine without a Russian strike force. It is far from clear that Lukashenko would commit Belarusian forces to fight in Ukraine even alongside Russian troops. The Kremlin has for years strived to deepen integration with Belarus, which heavily relies on Moscow for discounted oil and loans. Lukashenko has previously resisted outright unification with Russia, despite the country's growing isolation from the West after his brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2020. But now the situation is changing. Direct involvement of Belarus in Ukraine could present a political risk for Lukashenko. Even in this war would be extremely unpopular. All available polls show that more than 90% of Belarusians do not want to send their army there. For now, Putin seems content with everything that Lukashenko has given him. But if he demands direct involvement from Lukashenko in the war, experts say that he will be successful in resisting forever.