Lukashenko: I will not run for a new term

(Patria) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (70) said in an interview with Time magazine that he does not plan to run for another term.

Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has led Belarus for more than three decades and was re-elected in January for his seventh five-year term.

Lukashenko stressed that he "does not plan" to seek re-election, although he added that US President Donald Trump "looks decent" at almost 80 years old.

He believes his successor "should not break anything," but rather continue to develop the country to avoid any "revolutionary collapse".

He dismissed long-standing speculation that he is grooming his son Nikolai to succeed him.

- No, he is not the successor. I knew you would ask that. No, no, no. Ask him yourself - Lukashenko was clear.

Lukashenko suppressed massive street protests in 2020 following the presidential election.

The opposition and Western governments accused him of election fraud, but Lukashenko managed to stay in power, and his leading opponents were imprisoned or fled the country in fear.

Several hundred people convicted of "extremism" and other politically related offenses have been released since mid-2024, which analysts see as Lukashenko's attempt to ease isolation from the West.

However, human rights groups say nearly 1,200 people are still behind bars. Lukashenko denies that there are political prisoners in the country.