MINSK, 1 March (BelTA) – With the involvement of the United States the Normandy Four talks on Ukraine will go ahead by leaps and bounds, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with community leaders, experts, Belarusian and foreign media on 1 March, BelTA has learned.
“I said long ago that until the Americans join or support the existing format and the talks that were held in Minsk, they will not make much sense. So it happened. I publicly urged to bring the United States to the negotiating table of the Normandy Four. I am sure if they [the United States] supported this process, we would see it go ahead by leaps and bounds,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
He stressed that Belarus is prepared, if necessary, to participate more actively in the negotiations. “I do not like mediation. I do not like being some assistant or imposing myself either. You tell us what we should do and we will do it. We do not want to be accused of forcing ourselves as peacekeepers. I hate this stuff. But if you want something done, you know my position. We will do our utmost,” the Belarusian leader said.
The president noted that Europe has its own problems. They might forget about this conflict tomorrow and Ukraine will be left alone to deal with it. “It would be good if the brotherly Slavonic nations could get together in order to do something about it. Therefore, if you want us to play a role here, just let us know, we will do it,” Alexander Lukashenko suggested.
At the same time, the head of state believes that agreements should be made at the level of the leaders of Ukraine and Russia. “It is important that they come to terms. Everything depends on the two presidents. However, more depends on the Ukrainian leader,” the head of state said. He explained that it is in the territory of Ukraine that the war is going on; therefore President Petro Poroshenko should be interested more than anyone else in putting an end to it. According to the Belarusian leader, Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want any escalation, either.
