Lukashenko: “I am confident” — the war in Ukraine will end in 2025

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said that Russia’s war against Ukraine could end this year, expressing confidence that the conflict will cease.

This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Telegram channel “Pool Pervogo,” which is close to Lukashenko.

“This year, I believe, these conflicts can be stopped. And I am not merely hoping — I am confident that they will be stopped,” — Lukashenko said, referring to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

According to the Belarusian leader, a real opportunity now exists to halt both conflicts. He named political will as the key condition, saying everything depends “on the desire of literally a few people.”

“If such a desire exists, then these wars can definitely be ended this year. Even the conflict between Russia and Ukraine can be ended this year. As for the Middle East, there are no other options there. There are no options other than stopping the war,” — he said.

Against the backdrop of these statements, the Ukrainian side is recording certain successes on the battlefield. In May, Ukraine’s Defense Forces liberated 100 square kilometers more territory than was lost. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexander Syrsky reported that since the beginning of 2026, the total area of de-occupied territories has exceeded 600 square kilometers.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, called the coming months potentially decisive in the war. According to him, the outcomes of the EU, G7, and NATO summits could significantly influence both the diplomatic process and the prospects for a possible ceasefire.

The head of British intelligence agency GCHQ, Anne Keast-Butler, stated that Russia’s losses in the war against Ukraine have already approached 500,000 military personnel. According to her, the Russian leader is effectively retreating on the battlefield.