Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has extended an invitation to U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold peace talks in Minsk, aiming to negotiate an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Lukashenko’s offer comes just days after the White House abruptly froze military aid to Ukraine, a move widely seen as an attempt to pressure Kyiv into negotiations with Moscow.
This var reported by the Kyiv Independent.
"We’ll Sit Down and Come to an Agreement"
Speaking in an interview with American internet personality Mario Nawfal, which aired on Belarusian state media, Lukashenko made it clear that he was willing to facilitate discussions between the three leaders.
“If you want, come here. It’s only 200 kilometers from the Belarusian border to Kyiv. Half an hour by plane. You are welcome to come. We will sit down here. We’ll come to an agreement quietly, without noise, without shouting,” Lukashenko said.
He directly addressed Trump, offering Minsk as a neutral venue where "a deal could be made."
Despite the invitation, Lukashenko insisted that he did not want to serve as a mediator.
“Most of all, I hate mediation. It means being between someone and pretending that you can do something,” he added.
Belarus previously hosted the Minsk Agreements in 2014 and 2015, which were meant to halt fighting in eastern Ukraine following Russia’s first invasion.
However, Russia repeatedly violated the agreements and ultimately dismissed them. Just two days before launching the full-scale invasion in 2022, Putin declared that the Minsk Agreements “no longer existed.”
Zelensky referenced this history during his tense Oval Office meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, arguing that Ukraine cannot afford empty promises without concrete security guarantees.
Trump and Vance, however, dismissed his concerns, accusing Zelensky of being ungrateful for U.S. support. Shortly afterward, the White House announced the suspension of military aid to Ukraine.
Belarus’ Role in the War
Although Belarus has not directly deployed troops in Ukraine, Lukashenko has been one of Moscow’s closest allies, allowing Russia to use Belarusian territory, infrastructure, and airspace to launch attacks against Ukraine.
Zelensky recently warned that Russia is once again amassing troops in Belarus, possibly in preparation for a wider escalation, including threats against NATO countries.
Meanwhile, Trump’s March 4 address to Congress barely touched on the U.S. aid freeze but included remarks about working with “both sides” to end the war—an approach that many fear could heavily favor Moscow.
