Ukraine is ready to take tough steps if unfriendly actions of Belarus continue and the risks grow, even further than calling the Ukrainian ambassador for consultations, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in an interview with Gazeta.ua.

"I summoned the ambassador to carefully analyze the prospects of relations with Belarus in the new reality, to make specific proposals to the state leadership on how to further build relations with the neighboring state in the short and medium term. I do not rule out that he will return to Minsk. But if unfriendly actions of Belarus continue and the risks grow, we are ready to take tough steps. Even tougher than calling the ambassador for consultations," Kuleba said in an interview published on Thursday.

The Foreign Minister stressed that the purpose of summoning the ambassador for consultations is to politically demonstrate Ukraine's dissatisfaction with the decision of Belarus on handing over Wagner members to Russia and groundless accusations against Kyiv of interference in internal affairs.

Kuleba also pointed out that any weakening of the sovereignty of Belarus negatively affects the security of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian-Belarusian border "should not turn into a place for a carefree walk for the Russian special services or the army."

"2014 taught us that everything can happen. Any weakening of the sovereignty of Belarus negatively affects the security of Ukraine. Any strengthening of Russia's position in Belarus is an increase in threats for us. These are economic risks when it is possible to influence the supply of industrial goods in Ukraine. And the use of the Belarusian border for operations is security risks. The huge border of Ukraine with Belarus should not turn into a place for a carefree walk for the Russian special services or the army," the Foreign Minister noted.