Belarus is considering joining Russia in asserting its right to protect its citizens trapped amid the turmoil of the Ukraine crisis.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow today his country would not sit idly by and watch chaotic events unfold in neighboring Ukraine, according to the Voice of Russia. Russian has justified its intervention in the Ukrainian turmoil to safeguard the rights of Russian-speaking elements there.

“We cannot be detached observers because our people are there, they are pleading for help and demanding a reaction to such incidents,” Mr. Lukashenko said.

Mr. Lukashenko made the statement while meeting with members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Representatives from Russia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia were at the meeting.