Belarus President, Alexander Lukashenko has proposed to host peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, which may include US officials, in an interview on Wednesday.
Although Lukashenko is a staunch supporter of Putin, his nation is sanctioned by the US and Europe for backing Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine and a crackdown on the opposition by the regime. In 2022, some Russian troops entered Ukraine via Belarusian borders.
However, the 70-year-old president continued, saying, “We will sit down and gently come to an agreement.
An agreement with Zelensky was necessary, according to Lukashenko, “because a large part of Ukrainian society is with him.”
“There is only 200 kilometres (125 miles) between the Belarus frontier and Kyiv. Half an hour in a plane. Come,” he declared in the interview recorded on February 27.
Lukashenko praised Trump’s efforts to talk with Russia and end the three-year-old conflict.
“Trump is a good guy, he talks about it a lot and has already done something to end the war in Ukraine and the war in the Middle East,” Lukashenko said.
“It seems to me that his only policy is one aiming to end the war. It is a brilliant idea.”
The release of the interview came after Trump said Tuesday that Zelensky had told him he was ready for talks on a “lasting peace” with Russia.
Trump’s Washington meeting with Zelensky on Friday turned into an angry showdown and pressure has mounted on Zelensky after Trump ordered the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine.
Zelensky has since posted on social media that the clash was “regrettable” and he wanted “to make things right” with the US leader.