Lukashenko Ready To Mediate Russia-Ukraine Talks
Minsk, Feb 26: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday confirmed his readiness to provide Moscow and Kiev with a platform for negotiations on a settlement in Ukraine.
“They can arrive even today. We will fully provide and help in this regard to prevent a war and a meat grinder,” Lukashenko said, as quoted by Belarusian news agency Belta.
According to the Belarusian leader, the negotiations can take place “anywhere” in Minsk, even in the Palace of Independence, the presidential residence.
On Friday, the Belarusian Defense Ministry told Sputnik that it was ready to organize a meeting of representatives of the Russian, Ukrainian defense ministries in Minsk at any time. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed Moscow’s readiness to send its delegation to Minsk for talks with Ukraine.
According to the spokesman, Lukashenko promised Russian President Vladimir Putin to create all conditions for the negotiations.
On Thursday, Russia began a special operation to demilitarize and “denazify” Ukraine, responding to calls from the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics for help in countering the aggression of Ukrainian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow says it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.
