Belarus working with Turkiye to arrange meeting between Putin, Zelenskyy: Lukashenko

By Ali Cura

MINSK, Belarus (AA) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Tuesday that he is working with his Turkish counterpart to attempt to arrange a meeting between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine as the war between Moscow and Kyiv entered its sixth day.

Speaking following a security council meeting, Lukashenko mentioned the first talks that recently took place between delegations from Russia and Ukraine which ended without any breakthrough.

He said Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should be appreciated for approving the talks between the delegations.

Recalling his phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Lukashenko pointed to the Turkish leader's friendship with both Putin and Zelenskyy.

He also cited Erdogan’s efforts to bring the two leaders together for talks.

Mentioning his order to strengthen the country's southern borders, Lukashenko said they will do this with the Belarusian army, not Russia.

He went on to say that they closed the country’s borders with Poland and Lithuania over the military buildup of the two countries on the western borders of Belarus.