19:40 / 21.06.2025

Lukashenko and US representative met in Minsk for peace talks

Another diplomatic dialogue took place in the city of Minsk: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and US President’s special representative for Russia and Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, held an important meeting at the Independence Palace. According to the state agency BelTA, the conversation was held in a sincere and open spirit.

Alexander Lukashenko, speaking at the beginning of the meeting, said: “General, I am very glad to meet you. I hope our conversation will be very sincere and open. Otherwise, what is the point of the meeting? If we are clever and cunning in front of each other, we will not achieve any result,” he emphasized.

Keith Kellogg responded: “We are living in a very dangerous and complicated time, and if we are not wise and fair, crises may escalate sharply.”

Lukashenko additionally stated: “I promise you that full security will be ensured on the territory of Belarus, and during this time, neither in Belarus nor in our environment will there be any escalation,” he admitted.

Other aspects of the meeting were not disclosed. However, according to international observers and a Reuters source, this dialogue is seen as a new opportunity to revive stalled peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

At the same time, Keith Kellogg became the highest-ranking US official to visit Belarus in recent years. In 2020, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo came to Minsk — this was the first official US visit of such a level since 1993. After the change of political power in the US and especially after Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Biden administration suspended the activities of the US embassy in Minsk, and Belarus–US relations moved to a new stage.

After the presidential election in Belarus, mass protests, and repression in the country, Washington’s official policy changed significantly. Therefore, Keith Kellogg’s visit attracted major international attention.

This meeting in Minsk may become an important step towards restarting peace negotiations. Analysts and the public are closely following the results of the negotiations and their impact on European security.