‘Nothing Will Happen Suddenly’ – Kyiv Says No Imminent Signs of Belarus Invasion

Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office and former intelligence chief, said Ukraine is monitoring Belarus for threats but does not expect any surprise escalation. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied This handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on January 2, 2026 shows Chief of the Military Intelligence of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv.(Photo by Handout / UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Ukraine is closely monitoring potential threats from Belarus but does not expect any sudden escalation, said Kyrylo Budanov , the head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office. Budanov, who previously served as Ukraine’s intelligence chief, said on the sidelines of Thursday’s Kyiv Security Forum that Ukraine cannot rule out the possibility of an invasion from Belarus but does not see imminent threats. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . “Anything is possible in life,” Budanov said when asked whether Belarus could become more directly engaged in the conflict, according to Interfax-Ukraine . “There may be certain signs of threats, this cannot be ruled out.” He said Ukrainian intelligence agencies are actively tracking developments in neighboring Belarus, which allowed Moscow to use its territories as a launchpad for the 2022 invasion. “But intelligence agencies are monitoring the situation. Do not worry. There will be no surprise,” he added. Budanov also reiterated Kyiv’s position that it would not accept any peace terms involving territorial concessions. “I am absolutely certain no one in Ukraine will agree to recognize the loss of even a millimeter of our territory,” he said. However, he also said Kyiv’s position leaves “some room to maneuver” in the US-led peace talks that have been stalled in recent weeks as Washington shifts its focus to Iran. “The fact that we haven’t reached an agreement is also public knowledge. But that’s why this process exists. It may or may not achieve its goal. That’s also a normal situation,” he said. Other Topics of Interest Hungary Drops Veto on Ukraine Loan After Ukraine announced that it had repaired the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary has lifted its months-long blockade of a 90-billion-euro loan for Kyiv. “We’re prepared for any turn of events. If we’re strong, it will give us, as they say, some room to maneuver in this situation. If we’re weak, they’ll dictate the terms to us,” he added. Budanov’s comments come amid growing fears that Belarus could join Russia’s invasion following Minsk’s recent rhetoric. In an interview with Russian media, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has threatened to retaliate against Europe’s hypothetical invasion with Moscow’s backing. A few days prior, President Volodymyr Zelensky also warned of Russian efforts to pull Belarus into the war in Ukraine, citing military activity near the Ukrainian border amid new conscription measures in Minsk. On Tuesday, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warned that recent developments in Belarus may signal preparations for a dangerous new escalation in Russia’s war against Ukraine. In a 13-minute video, Kuleba said the issue had “once again exploded” into the information space, but argued that the developments were not sudden. He said they were the result of a steady process that began in February 2022, when Belarus allowed Russia to use its territory to launch the full-scale invasion of Ukraine from the north. That route – through Belarus, Chornobyl, and toward the outskirts of Kyiv – brought Russian forces to the gates of the capital in the first days of the war. Although Belarusian troops did not directly enter combat, Kuleba said Minsk had already fulfilled the role of Russia’s accomplice once before. He also said China could play a restraining role, as Beijing would have little interest in wider instability. Amid the developments, Lukashenko is also expected to visit the US as relations thaw following Minsk’s release of political prisoners. The Belarusian leader was previously among the heads of state invited to join US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.