Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on October 18 that he had held talks with a broad circle of representatives from Western countries. He described the negotiations as demanding and intricate, yet also revealing and productive, and he highlighted the value of direct dialogue with Western policymakers. The remarks were delivered during the regional Dozhinki festival, which honors workers in the village of Valozhin in the Minsk region. According to TASS, the discussions touched on security questions, economic ties, and regional stability, with Lukashenko stressing that open exchanges could help clarify Minsk’s stance in a shifting geopolitical climate.
On October 17, Lukashenko asserted that Belarusians themselves must be present at any negotiations aimed at resolving the Ukrainian conflict, arguing that the outcome concerns everyone in Belarus. He claimed that Western powers, encouraged by elements of the Belarusian opposition, were working to exclude Belarus and its leadership from meaningful talks on Ukraine. He framed Belarus’s participation as essential for a balanced and lasting settlement, arguing that Minsk’s involvement would help ensure that regional security interests are properly represented. [TASS]
Earlier in October he spoke about Ukraine’s reintegration into the CIS family, stating that it is only a matter of time. He noted that Belarus maintains limited contact with Ukraine, a policy he described as deliberate because it facilitates prisoner exchanges with Russia. The approach appears to reflect Minsk’s aim to keep channels open that can deconflict disputes and humanitarian exchanges while avoiding overbroad ties. These statements underscore Belarus’s intent to position itself as a pragmatic intermediary rather than a distant observer in the Ukrainian crisis. [TASS]
Previously Lukashenko rejected being called a dictator, insisting that his government acts according to national law and the interests of the Belarusian people. He argued that critics overstep by labeling the leadership in advance, and he maintained that external labels do not alter the realities on the ground in Minsk. The remarks come amid ongoing debates about Belarus’s role in regional security and its relations with Moscow and Western capitals, highlighting a careful balancing act that seeks to preserve sovereignty while engaging key international partners. [TASS]
Taken together, these statements show a Belarus that seeks to maintain strategic autonomy while engaging diverse partners on terms it deems favorable. Lukashenko’s outreach to Western representatives, his insistence on Belarusian participation in negotiations, and his reiteration of limited contact with Ukraine all point to an effort to chart a practical path through a turbulent regional landscape. The president’s approach appears designed to preserve Belarus’s sovereignty, manage pressures from both Moscow and Western capitals, and pursue practical outcomes for its people, including humanitarian exchanges and regional stability. [TASS]