Could Ukraine meet with Lukashenko? Foreign Ministry names conditions
Photo: Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko (Getty Images)
Ukraine does not rule out the possibility that the country’s top leadership could meet with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko under certain circumstances, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Yaroslav Chornogor said in an interview to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
A meeting is possible to save lives
The diplomat explained that such a meeting could take place if it helped stop the fighting or reduce the number of casualties.
"If, during the war, there is a need to reduce the number of human casualties or stop the fighting, and for this the president of Ukraine or another Ukrainian government official needs to meet with an opponent or a representative of the other side, then such steps may be taken," Yaroslav Chornogor said.
He clarified that he did not view such a meeting as essential. According to the diplomat, the decision would depend on whether the outcome justified the cost.
"I am not saying that this will necessarily happen. But if the price of such a meeting is worth paying, particularly to save human lives, anything is possible," the ambassador stressed.
Chernogor outlined the reasoning behind this strategy as a balance between two categories.
"There is a category of values, and there is a category of survival," the diplomat said.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced a meeting with Lukashenko as part of a Peace Board meeting.
The US leader said that the Belarusian side had agreed to release another 250 political prisoners the day before.
Meanwhile, Lukashenko later claimed that representatives of the Ukrainian side had met with him in Minsk.
The president said that he had received a response from Kyiv and called on the sides to negotiate without further escalation.
