MINSK, 25 October (BelTA) – I expect the liberation of Kursk Oblast of Russia and headway in peace negotiations by the end of December, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said in an interview with the Izvestia newspaper on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, BelTA learned.
In the interview, the head of state reiterated his thesis that the situation around possible peace talks has now changed. Earlier peace talks were dependent on the consent from the United States and Europe, i.e. on the collective West. Now they want peace more than Vladimir Zelensky himself. "He has dug his heels in," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
On the other hand, the West cannot influence Zelensky by not giving another handout of money and weapons, because this is tantamount to losing face.
"Therefore, the West has opted out of this path. But they see what is happening on the ground, that Russia is advancing at the front confidently, slowly, step by step. There are advances in Kursk Oblast as well. They see this all. They evaluate it at face value, not like Volodya Zelensky does. They realize that Ukraine may collapse, and the collapse of Ukraine will mean the collapse of the entire collective West, because they got involved in this war. It is time to make peace somehow today. But Volodya Zelensky is not yielding,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
According to him, the current moment is critical. “He [Zelensky] started fussing a little earlier, and especially now with his ‘victory plan’. These are in fact calls for peace talks. Russia has already changed its point of view. Russia is pressing forward on the ground. A lot has changed on the front line,” the head of state said.
He stressed that Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk Oblast had seriously changed the situation. “Russia may toughen its demands so. It has not yet, but it may. But I am pleased that Vladimir Putin, Russians hold such a constructive position. Ukrainians should take this position into account," Aleksandr Lukashenko said. "Hopefully, Kursk Oblast will be liberated by the end of December and some headway will be made in the peace talks. We are ready to work in this direction."
Speaking about his recent private talks with representatives of the West, the president stated that the West has already realized that the war is the fault of the two sides. "They told me candidly: yes, we agree. The two sides share the responsibility. Not only Russia is to blame, but Ukraine too. This is what the West is saying. This is already certain headway," he noted.
Aleksandr Lukashenko did not disclose who he talked to: "We have agreed that these talks are private. Although some people abroad have tracked down some flights and started speculating. But we do not comment on this."
In the interview, the head of state reiterated his thesis that the situation around possible peace talks has now changed. Earlier peace talks were dependent on the consent from the United States and Europe, i.e. on the collective West. Now they want peace more than Vladimir Zelensky himself. "He has dug his heels in," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
On the other hand, the West cannot influence Zelensky by not giving another handout of money and weapons, because this is tantamount to losing face.
"Therefore, the West has opted out of this path. But they see what is happening on the ground, that Russia is advancing at the front confidently, slowly, step by step. There are advances in Kursk Oblast as well. They see this all. They evaluate it at face value, not like Volodya Zelensky does. They realize that Ukraine may collapse, and the collapse of Ukraine will mean the collapse of the entire collective West, because they got involved in this war. It is time to make peace somehow today. But Volodya Zelensky is not yielding,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
According to him, the current moment is critical. “He [Zelensky] started fussing a little earlier, and especially now with his ‘victory plan’. These are in fact calls for peace talks. Russia has already changed its point of view. Russia is pressing forward on the ground. A lot has changed on the front line,” the head of state said.
He stressed that Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk Oblast had seriously changed the situation. “Russia may toughen its demands so. It has not yet, but it may. But I am pleased that Vladimir Putin, Russians hold such a constructive position. Ukrainians should take this position into account," Aleksandr Lukashenko said. "Hopefully, Kursk Oblast will be liberated by the end of December and some headway will be made in the peace talks. We are ready to work in this direction."
Speaking about his recent private talks with representatives of the West, the president stated that the West has already realized that the war is the fault of the two sides. "They told me candidly: yes, we agree. The two sides share the responsibility. Not only Russia is to blame, but Ukraine too. This is what the West is saying. This is already certain headway," he noted.
Aleksandr Lukashenko did not disclose who he talked to: "We have agreed that these talks are private. Although some people abroad have tracked down some flights and started speculating. But we do not comment on this."
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