Lukashenko said it’s favourable moment for peace talks on Ukraine
If peace talks are not held now, Ukraine will eventually lose its statehood and may even cease to exist – as stated by the President of Belarus, Chairman of the Belarusian People’s Congress Aleksandr Lukashenko, on the second day of the 7th Belarusian People’s Congress
Describing the situation in the zone of military clashes on the territory of Ukraine, the Belarusian leader stated, “Very serious battles are going on, and Russia is moving slowly forward, covering 500 metres, a kilometre, two or three kilometres every day. You know the information about the liberation of some settlements by Russian troops. A certain ‘zugzwang’ [when every move is only making the situation worse] was formed: neither Ukrainians nor Russians. This no-win situation is the most serious – as never before in this war – and the most convenient for peace talks. While in Moscow, I expressed my position to journalists when they asked me how to act. Negotiations always need to have a starting point, and they could start with the Istanbul Agreements, which President Putin has often talked about. After they were developed in Istanbul, he handed them over to me, and I looked at them again and can say that they are quite normal agreements. This does not mean that as a result of the talks, these agreements (initialled by the parties) will be adopted or even laid as a basis. However, the two sides can use them as a foundation and move forward. Of course, the peace treaty will not be a copy of these agreements; it will be different. But they can start with these agreements which have been negotiated for a long time both in Belarus and in Istanbul.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled the thesis he had said the day before, “All the Western military and heads of the special services, politicians and heads of state publicly say that ‘Putin’s victory cannot be allowed’. If you insist on this, that’s exactly why peace takes are needed – play a draw at this stage. There is no need to put forward radical solutions, like Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s ‘peace formula’ which may seem patriotic, but is unrealistic. Russians today will not leave either Crimea or the eastern regions – ‘Novorossiya’ as they are called. If before peace talks proposals that are unacceptable are put forward, it means that the party that puts them forward is not ready to negotiate. I’m aware of the moods of the Ukrainian military: they are already fed up with this war. However, they cannot take independent action either, because behind President Zelenskyy – who wants to fight to the last Ukrainian – there are NATO troops, the entire Western European bloc and the United States of America. The situation is very serious. I think, if the parties do not negotiate now, Ukraine will lose its statehood over time, and may cease to exist!”
The Belarusian leader added, “I know that after my speech, the noise will again rise in Ukraine, and various bloggers and journalists will start ‘attacking’ me on all these channels. I have already got used to this. I express my position, and if you agree with it, it’s necessary to proceed from the following: Ukraine needs peace today! Evidence of this is the escape of Ukrainians to other countries in order not to get to the front. We know very well that they are being grabbed on the streets and often they are not even trained, no combat co-ordination is held at training grounds. These poor guys are thrown directly to the front as the first-row soldiers, followed by SMERSH, detachments of armed men. As they often say, I quote, ‘we were given a one-way ticket’.”
