MINSK, 7 April (BelTA) – Ukraine and Russia have been told that Belarus needs to participate in the peace talks. Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei made the statement after a session of the Security Council on 7 April, BelTA has learned.
Vladimir Makei said: “We've expressed this position before and have conveyed it to all the parties. We also conveyed it to a number of our partners in the last few days.”
Vladimir Makei stressed that the final meeting of the Ukrainian delegation and the Russian one cannot be held without Belarus' participation. “We believe it does not matter where the final meeting [of the Russia-Ukraine peace talks] takes place. But it is our unambiguous opinion that the Belarus president must participate in these talks.”
The minister of foreign affairs stressed that Belarus is interested in peace and stability in the region.
Vladimir Makei said: “We are convinced that interests and guarantees of security should be provided not only with regard to Ukraine and Russia but also to Belarus as one of the three Slavonic nations.”
BelTA reported earlier that during the Security Council session Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko stated that Belarus' position should be presented during the talks on a peaceful resolution in Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been tasked with realizing this decision.
Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “There can be no negotiations without Belarus. Since you, primarily Western countries, got us into it, naturally Belarus' stance must be presented during these talks. We proceed from the fact that this war is just over the fence of our country. And it is most seriously affecting the situation in Belarus. This is why there can be no separate agreements behind Belarus' back.”
According to the president, Russia understands Belarus' position. “But it will run contrary to Western designs. But it doesn't mean we should dance to Western piping,” he added.
