UN permanent representative Melnyk warns of 'devastating consequences' for Belarus if it joins war against Ukraine

Ukraine’s permanent representative to the UN Andrii Melnyk said Belarus is being drawn further into Russia’s war against Ukraine and warned of "devastating consequences" in the event of a new attack from the north.

Speaking at the UN Security Council meeting, Melnyk said Ukraine is closely monitoring Russia’s actions to further involve Belarus in the aggression.

According to the diplomat, the regime of Alexander Lukashenko has effectively surrendered its sovereignty by allowing Moscow to use Belarusian territory, military infrastructure and airspace.

"Under growing Kremlin pressure, Belarus is being pushed toward deeper involvement in the war, including through mobilization measures, the deployment of advanced missile systems and nuclear weapons-related exercises," Melnyk said.

According to him, this creates "a new unprecedented threat not only to Ukraine but to European security."

Melnyk stressed that Ukraine hopes there will be no new invasion from Belarusian territory but is prepared to respond in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.

"Any attack from the north will trigger an immediate and decisive response, and the regime in Minsk will face devastating consequences," Ukraine’s permanent representative said.

He also called on the UN Security Council to increase pressure on Moscow and Minsk to prevent further escalation of the war.

Melnyk also said Russia is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on missile strikes against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure instead of addressing the social needs of its own population.

He also said Russia used Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

As reported, Ukraine initiated an emergency UN Security Council meeting and a joint meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation and the OSCE Permanent Council following Russia’s massive attack on the night of May 24, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.

Russia carried out its largest ever missile attack on Ukraine on the night of May 23-24, killing four civilians and wounding over 100. In Kyiv alone, two people were killed, 91 were wounded and around 300 facilities were damaged, half of them residential buildings. The enemy launched a massive combined strike on Ukraine using attack UAVs and air-, sea- and ground-launched missiles. Russian forces were reported to have used Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missiles in particular.