President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko
©Iranian Presidency Office / Keystone Press Agency / Global Look Press
At the beginning of the military special operation in Ukraine, Russia was ready to conclude an agreement to resolve the conflict, on unfavorable terms. This was announced on Thursday, May 18, by the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, reports BelTA.
He recalled that several rounds of negotiations were held between Moscow and Kiev, and a draft treaty was put on the table, which was “absolutely unprofitable for Russia.” Nevertheless, Moscow agreed to it, Lukashenka added.
According to him, the draft of this agreement “is on his desk.” But as soon as the Russian Federation accepted the peace initiatives prescribed in the document, the project was “thrown into the basket.”
“Well, they kicked each other in the face – let’s talk, let’s stop this war […] Before accusing us of confrontation, expansion of this conflict, we must return to the negotiating table; take not that document, but a new one,” the President of Belarus said.
Russian-Ukrainian negotiations were suspended in the spring of 2022. The last meeting of the delegations took place on March 29 in Istanbul. After the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions became part of the Russian Federation, the Ukrainian leader announced his refusal to negotiate with Russia. At the same time, the Kremlin has repeatedly stated that Moscow is ready for negotiations with Kiev, but without any preconditions and taking into account the reality that exists.
