Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that Russia and Ukraine must compromise to end the war, calling a military solution unrealistic for both sides. He noted that Russian forces are advancing but face troop shortages.
Belarus's position as a key Russian ally and staging ground for the invasion makes its leader's calls for compromise significant, particularly as peace talks remain stalled.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, stated in an interview published on Monday that Russia and Ukraine must compromise to end the war, which has been ongoing for over four years with no clear end in sight. Lukashenko told Al Arabiya television that a battlefield victory was unrealistic for either side, although he acknowledged that Russian forces were still making incremental gains.
"Today, we need to use any steps to reach a peaceful agreement through compromises. For the long term," Lukashenko said, as republished by Belarus' Belta news agency. He added that if both sides realized further advances were impossible and would lead to escalation, a compromise could be reached.
Belarus has been a key staging ground for Russia's invasion of Ukraine and has allowed Moscow to deploy nuclear weapons on its soil. Lukashenko has stated Belarusian forces will not be deployed in Ukraine but that Russia and Belarus would jointly defend themselves. He assured Ukraine that it had "absolutely nothing to fear" from Belarus, suggesting that this concern was being amplified by political ambitions.
Lukashenko also commented on troop shortages affecting both sides and stated that a military solution was impossible not only in Ukraine but also in the Middle East. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy has previously stated that Ukrainian forces have improved their battlefield positions and suggested that new Russian attacks could originate from Belarusian territory.