The exchange of remarks turned a comic way when the Belarussian leader offered a ride to the next meeting to the Armenian premier.

Belarussian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, vividly irritated by the absence in person of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit in Moscow in spite of Yerevan’s hold of EAEU chairmanship in 2024, mocked at him by offering a ride to the next meeting of the organization.

Taking the floor to announce that the next EAEU meeting will take place in Minsk in May, Lukashenko wondered if the observer countries – including Armenia – could send their delegations in person rather than connect with the event via video link.

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“As the presiding country, if our observers are interested in our union, I would ask that they attend the meetings rather than telling us on TV how they plan to cooperate with us,” he said, immediately clarifying that he didn’t mean Pashinyan, who had cited a coronavirus infection to skip the 26 December summit and a CIS meeting later in St. Petersburg.

“We know that not only have you shaved your beard off, but you’ve also been sick a little bit,” the Belarussian leader noted.

Pashinyan replied that the Armenian delegation agreed to the date and place of the next summit but again would participate via a video link.

“What’s the matter? Is Minks too far away or there’s no one to get you there? We can arrange a shuttle [service] for the Armenian delegation,” Lukashenko continued.

“Alexander Grigoryevich, I made a public statement on this matter, and it still stands. I don’t think this is the proper format to discuss such issues. You brought it up, so I had to react immediately to avoid any misunderstandings,” Pashinyan explained.

“We’ll review your statement,” Lukashenko said.

“What’s there to review?” Pashinyan pushed back. “You can’t review my statement because it’s not subject to review.”

“Maybe there won’t be a TV for you to join remotely...” the Belarussian leader joked.

“No problem,” Pashinyan concluded. “I’ll understand if you additionally encounter issues with television sets.”

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The Armenian premier may have been deliberately avoiding to visit Russia, following its failure to help his country in the brief wars against neighboring Azerbaijan in 2021 and 2023 over Nagorny Karabakh. Armenia, Belarus and Russia – plus three Central Asian republics – are military allies under a Collective Security Treaty since 2002.

As if not enough, Belarus was caught selling secretly advanced weapons to Azerbaijan. 

The loss of the Karabakh enclave and several Armenian districts kicked off the drifting Yerevan away from Moscow-sponsored structures.

Watch the clash beginning at 01:20:00 time on the Russian platform vkvideo.ru: 

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