On Thursday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he did not rule out a personal meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but stressed that the initiative should come from Kyiv.
Lukashenko on the possibility of dialogue with Ukraine
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday, 22 May, while talking to journalists, said he was ready for a personal meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the same time, he stressed that the initiative should come from the Ukrainian side. «I am not against meeting with Zelenskyy if he needs it. I am not hiding or running away from the conversation,» the Belarusian leader said. This was reported by a source. Lukashenko also added that he was ready to discuss any issues if it would help end the war. «If Ukrainians consider it necessary to meet, please do. But I will not force anyone,» the Belarusian president said.
Minsk and its role in the war
During the conversation, Lukashenka once again emphasised that Belarus is not directly involved in the war against Ukraine. According to him, Minsk does not intend to get involved in a military conflict, but is ready to act as a platform for negotiations if it helps to find a peaceful solution. «We are not at war against Ukraine. We have always been open to dialogue,» the head of state stressed.
