Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko outraged Armenians and other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) by making racist and derisive comments during an interview on Russian state TV.

"Who needs Armenians? Nobody. Let them develop their economy and rely on their own resources. What is France? Who is Macron? Tomorrow, when Macron is gone, everybody will forget about the Armenians," Lukashenko said, dismissing Armenia's significance.

France is home to a large Armenian diaspora and a strong supporter of its homeland, further fuelling the backlash against Lukashenko's comments.

The comments have sparked a wave of condemnation and protests, particularly in Yerevan. The Belarusian strongman’s remarks, aired earlier this week on Russian state television, were seen as deeply offensive by many in Armenia and have escalated diplomatic tensions across the region.

Lukashenko also criticised other CIS countries, including Kazakhstan, accusing them of seeking to benefit from Russia without giving anything in return. Referring to the January 2022 protests in Kazakhstan, he remarked that when "something happened in Kazakhstan," the country turned to Moscow and Minsk, not to China, India or Pakistan, for help.

The comments went down particularly badly, as there is still a latent institutional racism left over from Soviet times where the white Slavs saw themselves as inherently superior to the dark-skinned people of the Caucasus.

In response to Lukashenko's statements, protesters in Yerevan gathered outside the Belarusian embassy on August 21, hurling eggs and other produce at the building in a show of anger.

The following day, Belarusian authorities condemned the protest as an "act of vandalism," with Belarusian lawmaker Aleh Haidukevich calling the incident "outrageous" and demanding that those responsible be brought to justice. "No one has done so much for the prosperity of the Armenian people, for peace in the Armenian land, as the Belarusians," Haidukevich added, reported TASS.

Lukashenko's remarks have also triggered a flurry of diplomatic exchanges. Kazakhstan summoned the Belarusian ambassador to express its displeasure, while Belarus responded by summoning the Armenian ambassador. The incident highlights the growing rift between Belarus and other CIS nations, particularly Armenia.

Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya joined the chorus of criticism, saying: "I categorically condemn the outrageous insults directed at Armenia and the Armenian people." She accused Lukashenko of betraying both Belarusians and Armenians, alleging that he is acting on behalf of the Kremlin.

This latest diplomatic spat comes amid already strained relations between Armenia and Belarus. In June, Politico reported that Belarus had been supplying advanced weapons to Armenia's adversary, Azerbaijan, for years, despite both Armenia and Belarus being members of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has since indicated that Armenia plans to leave the CSTO, accusing the alliance of plotting "against us with Azerbaijan," a move that Politico described as a "bitter betrayal" by Belarus.