Support The Moscow Times!

Belarus Leader Offers to 'Help Americans' with Baby Formula

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. president.gov.by

Belarus's authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko on Friday offered to share a baby formula with the United States, highlighting shortages in a country that has put him under sanctions.

A product recall and shutdown of a major plant in February triggered a dramatic and ongoing reduction in the availability of formula for parents across the United States.

"We are ready to help the Americans with supplies of baby formula, as early as tomorrow," state news agency Belta quoted Lukashenko as saying.

Lukashenko is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin and has sided with Moscow after Russian troops were sent into Ukraine. 

Both have been known to try to counter criticism of their rule by pointing to problems in Western countries.

The 67-year-old Lukashenko, who has ruled his country with an iron fist since 1994, has accused the West of being "at war" with Russia in Ukraine.

Both Russia and Belarus have been hit with sanctions since the start of the conflict.

Lukashenko and his allies were already under numerous Western sanctions — including from the United States — over the regime's crackdown on opposition protests in 2020. 

Several people died and thousands were detained during the violent repression of protesters demonstrating against Lukashenko's re-election for a sixth term. 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more