Zelensky’s office asks prosecutor general to consider criminal case against Lukashenko

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office has asked the country’s prosecutor general’s office to consider opening a criminal case against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Reuters reports this.

The request was prompted by an appeal from the opposition “Forum of Democratic Forces of Belarus,” which had previously asked the Ukrainian leader to seek to hold Lukashenko accountable “for war crimes and state terrorism.”

According to the agency, the likelihood that Lukashenko will actually face trial in Ukraine is slim. Nevertheless, a criminal case against him could be used by the opposition as an argument for the West to exert pressure on Minsk.

In Belarus, the initiative was met without concern. Deputy chairman of the international affairs commission of the lower house of the Belarusian parliament, Oleg Gaidukevich, told Gazeta.Ru that the proposal by Zelensky’s office to open a case against Lukashenko was laughable.

“Minsk does not care about such steps by Kyiv,” Gaidukevich said.