MINSK, 25 April (BelTA) - Ukraine needs peace today, Belarusian President, Chairman of the 7th Belarusian People's Congress Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the 7th Belarusian People's Congress on 25 April, BelTA has learned.
“We see a so-called zugzwang on both sides today. Yes, there is some movement forward, but that is not the movement of the desired scale. It is a stalemate. What should be done in this situation?” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
According to the president, this is the best situation for peace talks today. It would be good to start with the Istanbul agreements, the head of state believes. “This does not necessarily mean that these agreements initialed by the parties will be adopted or used as the basis for a peace treaty. No. But it is possible to start with them and move forward. Of course, the peace treaty will not be a copy of these agreements. The peace treaty will be different, but it is a good place to start,” the head of state said.
“All the military, heads of the Western intelligence services, politicians and heads of state are publicly saying that Putin should not be allowed to win. If you insist on this, then this is the very moment for negotiations. Strike a draw at this stage,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. Do not push the hardline solutions such as Volodya Zelensky's peace formula. It seems patriotic but it is not viable. Russians are not going to give up Crimea or the eastern regions. If unacceptable proposals are put forward, it means that the party that puts them forward is not ready to negotiate.”
“I know the mood of the Ukrainian military: they are already fed up with this war. They cannot take independent decisions, because President Zelensky, who wants to fight to the last Ukrainian, has NATO troops and the entire Western European bloc and the United States of America behind him. The situation is alarming. In my opinion, however, if Ukraine does not negotiate, it will lose its statehood over time and may cease to exist,” the Belarusian leader said. “Ukraine needs peace today. Ukrainians fleeing the country to avoid the recruitment testifies to the fact. No one wants to fight today, so it is high time for peace.”
