Владимир Путин. Скриншот видео.
Vladimir Putin said Russia would be prepared to use Belarus as a venue for negotiations aimed at ending the Russian-Ukrainian war, “if it ever comes to negotiations.” The Russian president made the remarks on the television program Moscow. Kremlin. Putin on the Rossiya TV channel.
Part of the interview focused on his recent meeting with Aliaksandr Lukashenka in Valdai. Below is the full excerpt.
Zarubin: Your talks with Belarusian President Aliaksandr Lukashenka attracted a great deal of attention. This is partly because we see increasingly aggressive statements by the Kyiv authorities directed at Minsk. Many people have the impression that Kyiv is trying to draw Belarus into the war. Do you think it is trying to do that? And, overall, how did your talks go?
Putin: The president of Belarus should make those assessments himself. We did not discuss this issue in detail. But, of course, it is a cause for concern when such harsh statements are made. At the same time, they do not cause any panic on President Lukashenka’s part. He approaches the matter calmly, with balance and careful consideration.
We are grateful to Aliaksandr Hryhoryevich for the efforts he is making in this area. This particularly concerns humanitarian issues, including the exchange of prisoners of war.
As we remember, the negotiations in 2022 began in Minsk. Later, at the request of the Ukrainian side, we moved to Istanbul. But it was in Minsk that the agreements on settling relations between Kyiv and Donetsk were concluded. Unfortunately, we now know for certain that neither the Ukrainian side nor our Western negotiating partners intended to implement those agreements.
But that is another matter. The important thing is that Belarus has always made its territory and its platform available for negotiations. I am confident that, if it ever comes to negotiations, we can also make use of Belarusian opportunities. I know Aliaksandr Hryhoryevich’s position. He is ready to support in every possible way anything aimed at resolving disputed issues through peaceful means.
Zarubin: And overall, the talks went very well from the standpoint of our work…
Putin: Yes… We spent a full day together, even a little longer, in an informal setting. Not just the two of us, but the three of us. I invited Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin, and we discussed, first and foremost, economic issues and cooperation in various areas, including energy, industry, and other sectors. We also talked about humanitarian cooperation. It was a very successful and substantive visit.