Lukashenko stated that the West is ready to negotiate peace in Ukraine on a draw basis

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that the West has shifted its stance on the war in Ukraine and is ready to negotiate a peace agreement under conditions of a “draw.”

He made this comment at the Second Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security.

“My recent contacts with knowledgeable representatives from the civilized West indicate that there is a shift. The West has finally realized that an agreement on Ukraine is necessary. Perhaps a draw could be achievable today. I’m saying this in sporting terms,” the Belarusian president remarked.

Lukashenko claims that the West “now understands” that “Ukraine will not achieve victory on the battlefield,” and he identified Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as the only opponent of peace negotiations, saying that “his ambitions have flared up.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, currently in Minsk, commented on Lukashenko’s statement. He said that the prospect of such an agreement is “unlikely to meet the requirement of reliably ensuring the interests of each side, including on a pan-continental scale.” Lavrov added that a “draw” was the premise of the Istanbul agreement project.