Lukashenko Claims Ukraine-Belarus Border Is Open and Invites Ukrainians to Belarus

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko claimed that border crossings with Ukraine could be opened for Ukrainians.
• He invited Ukrainians to come to Belarus, including to collect berries, mushrooms and other forest products.
• Lukashenko said he had instructed Belarusian military and border authorities to allow Ukrainians to cross “as usual.”
• His comments came despite the fact that the Ukrainian-Belarusian border remains a high-risk security zone, and Ukrainian officials have previously warned against trusting similar Belarusian proposals.
• Lukashenko again denied Belarus’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine, despite Russian forces having used Belarusian territory as a launch point for the invasion of northern Ukraine in 2022.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that Belarus is ready to open its border to Ukrainians and invited them to visit the country to collect berries, mushrooms and other forest products. The statement comes amid continuing military and security tensions along the Ukrainian-Belarusian border and contradicts the reality of the heavily restricted frontier.

Lukashenko Says the Border Is Open

Lukashenko made the comments on August 15 during a public appearance at an ethnographic festival in Belarus.

According to Belarusian state-linked reporting, he said he had instructed the country’s military and border guards to open checkpoints for Ukrainians and allow them to enter Belarus “as usual.”

He specifically mentioned people coming to Belarus to collect wild berries, mushrooms and other products from the country’s forests.

The statement presents the border as if ordinary cross-border movement could resume despite the ongoing war and the security situation in the region.

Ukraine-Belarus Border Remains Highly Sensitive

In practice, the border between the two countries is very different from the picture presented by Lukashenko.

Ukraine has heavily strengthened its northern border since Russia used Belarusian territory as a launching ground for its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian authorities continue to treat the area as a significant security risk, with military units and border guards operating along the frontier.

Ukrainian border officials have previously warned that Belarusian invitations for Ukrainians to enter the country could represent a provocation rather than a genuine reopening of the border.

The “Mushrooms and Berries” Proposal

Lukashenko’s invitation is unusual because he framed the proposed border opening around everyday activities.

He said Ukrainians could cross into Belarus to collect mushrooms, berries and other forest products.

The idea echoes an earlier proposal from June, when Lukashenko said Belarus was prepared to allow residents of Ukrainian border regions to visit Belarusian forests if border crossings were restored.

The latest statement therefore appears to build on an initiative that Minsk has been promoting for several months.

Belarus Has Not Become Neutral

At the same time, Lukashenko again rejected accusations that Belarus is participating in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

He portrayed Belarus as a country that does not want war with either Russians or Ukrainians and claimed that Minsk wants peace.

That narrative conflicts with the established role Belarus played at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Russian forces used Belarusian territory as a staging and logistical area for their advance toward Kyiv in February 2022.

Belarus has also remained closely integrated with Russia militarily.

Ukrainian Authorities Remain Cautious

The Ukrainian side has previously responded skeptically to Belarusian proposals concerning the border.

Ukrainian border officials have warned residents not to trust statements suggesting that the frontier is simply being reopened for ordinary travel.

The concern is not only the possibility of military escalation but also the potential risks associated with Ukrainians entering a country closely allied with Russia.

For this reason, Lukashenko’s declaration should not be interpreted as a normal tourism announcement.

A Significant Contradiction

The timing of the statement is particularly notable.

Belarus has recently continued to strengthen its military presence and security measures near the Ukrainian border. In July, Lukashenko said Belarusian special operations forces would be dispersed along the frontier, although he described the move as a security measure rather than preparation for offensive action.

Against this background, the suggestion that Ukrainians could simply cross the border to gather mushrooms and berries presents a striking contrast.

One side of the message emphasizes openness and ordinary life; the other reflects the continuing military tension around the frontier.

Ukrainians Are Already Entering Belarus — But Mostly Through Other Routes

There is also an important distinction between claiming that the Ukrainian-Belarusian border is open and the number of Ukrainians actually entering Belarus.

According to Belarusian border statistics published earlier in August, more than 51,000 Ukrainian citizens had entered Belarus since the beginning of 2026.

However, only 39 people had entered directly through the Ukrainian-Belarusian border. Most arrived through other countries, particularly Poland and Lithuania.

This suggests that the direct land border remains fundamentally different from Belarus’s broader claim that Ukrainians are welcome in the country.

Why Lukashenko Is Making the Offer

The statement can be viewed as part of Lukashenko’s broader attempt to portray Belarus as a peaceful intermediary rather than a participant in Russia’s war.

Minsk has repeatedly emphasized its willingness to facilitate dialogue and present itself as a possible venue for contacts between Russia and Ukraine.

At the same time, Ukraine continues to view Belarus through the lens of its military cooperation with Moscow and the role Belarusian territory played in the 2022 invasion.

That makes any proposal to reopen the border politically sensitive.

The Border Is Not Simply “Open”

For Ukrainians considering Lukashenko’s statement, the most important point is that a political declaration does not automatically mean that normal border crossings have resumed.

The practical situation depends on decisions by both countries’ authorities, the operation of specific checkpoints and the security situation.

Ukrainian officials have already warned that Belarusian statements about opening the border should be treated cautiously.

Lukashenko’s latest comments therefore represent a political statement rather than evidence that Ukrainians can freely cross the entire border.

A Message With a Wider Political Purpose

The invitation may appear harmless on the surface, with its references to mushrooms, berries and ordinary people.

But it comes from a leader whose country remains Russia’s closest military ally and whose territory was used during the invasion of Ukraine.

That makes the statement about much more than access to Belarusian forests.

It is also an attempt to shape the narrative around Belarus’s role in the war — presenting the country as open to Ukrainians while simultaneously denying its involvement in Russia’s aggression.

For now, the reality remains that the Ukraine-Belarus border is a highly sensitive security zone, and Lukashenko’s declaration should not be confused with a return to normal cross-border relations.