Lukashenko says he is no longer called a dictator — neither to his face nor behind his back

In an interview with the Al Arabiya television channel, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that the era when he was called a dictator is long gone.

“That time has passed. Yes, I don’t meet with the leaders of European states, including leading ones, but I am in contact with them either through their representatives or directly, as I recently was with [French President] Emmanuel Macron,” Lukashenko said.

According to him, none of the European leaders call him a dictator, as it would look absurd. The Belarusian leader himself explained that he is not a dictator because he does not have the resources to impose his will on anyone.

During the conversation with the channel’s female correspondent, Lukashenko urged her to appreciate the very fact of an interview with a politician who has been labeled “the last dictator in Europe.”

Earlier, American journalist Rick Sanchez shared his impressions after his own interview with the Belarusian president. He also stated that Lukashenko is not a dictator and added that the stereotypes about Belarus and Russia common in the United States do not reflect reality.