The Belarusian leader and close ally of the Kremlin, Alexander Lukashenko, called for a "ceasefire" in Ukraine and for negotiations "without preconditions" between Moscow and Kyiv, AFP reported.

"I will take the risk of proposing a cessation of hostilities..., a ceasefire," Lukashenko said during his State of the Nation address. "All territorial, restorative, security and other issues can and should be resolved at the negotiating table, without preconditions."

Lukashenko said the West's support for Kyiv increases the likelihood of a nuclear war breaking out in Ukraine.

"As a result of the efforts of the United States and its satellites, a full-scale war has broken out in Ukraine, ... a third world war with nuclear fire is on the horizon," the president said in a televised address to lawmakers and Belarusians, adding that it can only be avoided through negotiations.

In his address to the nation and parliament, the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, said that the world's deepest crisis is aimed at eliminating competitors.

"No one wants to experience the consequences of insane and sanction wars. People do not understand how the ideology of the global international project for sustainable development can be compatible with unprecedented hunger, epidemics, moral degradation and rampant abnormal values. This has never happened before in world history," Lukashenko said.

"The world is spending trillions of dollars killing people and destroying countries instead of creating. This is the deepest crisis, all-encompassing, multi-faceted, largely man-made - the destruction of competitors. This has also never happened in history", the Belarusian leader added.

The West is preparing to invade the territory of Belarus to destroy the country, the president also said.

"The formation of regiments, banners and legions for a subsequent coup in Belarus is in full swing. The time will come - we will expose everything to you... they (the West) are preparing to invade Belarus to destroy our country," Lukashenko said.

"At the same time, terrorists are being 'dropped' into the territory of Belarus, carrying out acts of sabotage and intimidation, trying to create cells to coordinate protest actions, transfer money and weapons," he said.

The president of Belarus said that he purposefully activated negotiations with Putin on the return of nuclear weapons to Belarus.

"Under the existing circumstances and the military-political situation surrounding our country, I purposefully activated negotiations with the President of Russia Putin on the return of nuclear weapons to Belarus. It is about the return of nuclear weapons that were withdrawn in the 1990s", Lukashenko said.

The Belarusian leader recalled that the weapons were exported from Belarus then under guarantees: no sanctions, no pressure, no planning of revolutions. "Everything has been trampled on, everything has been violated. I have the right to raise the issue of the return of the nuclear weapons that were then exported from the territory of Belarus in front of me... The madmen signed commitments for their return," Lukashenko said.

"I remember how they pressured me, I didn't withdraw my weapons in 1994-1995 and I was under strong pressure from the West and from the Russian president, he said that they would crush me, destroy me... I was forced to withdraw under certain guarantees. Everything was forgotten," Lukashenko said.

"I am not trying to intimidate or blackmail anyone, I say it for the last time, God help them, I want to protect the Belarusian state and ensure peace for the Belarusian people. My people have earned it with their history, with their entire existence, we no longer want to live under the scourge and we will not be slaves," he said in his annual address to the country's people and parliament.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow and Minsk had agreed that, without violating their international obligations, they would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Putin explained that Russia is not transferring its nuclear weapons to Belarus, but is doing what the US has been doing for a decade, because the Americans are "training their allies, their pilots to use this type of weapon if necessary. As a result," the Russian president noted, "Moscow and Minsk have agreed that if necessary, they will do the same without violating their international obligations for nuclear non-proliferation".

In his address to the nation, Lukashenko stated that he has not and will not "touch" the country's constitution as his century is coming to an end.

"Many people say that Lukashenko made this constitution for himself. I'm sorry, but I did not make it. My century is coming to an end and I will not make any constitution for myself," Lukashenko said.

The president called for an end to the topic of his successors, saying that his children will not be president.

"We have to stop all these talks about heredity, about continuity (of power) my children will not be presidents. You have to remember that, not lumpenize it and not talk about it," Lukashenko said, turning towards the people and the parliament.

At the same time, he assured that as long as he lived, he and his companions would not give up their conquests.

"I will not die in this position. I will work for the good of our country. I will never be a lame chicken, as they say: he announced his resignation and is a lame chicken. I have enough power to protect my country, especially now. I am more interested than you in keeping it, because I have invested my whole life in it," said the President of Belarus.

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