Belarusian foreign minister calls Russian-Ukrainian settlement 'most important issue' for Europe

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik on Wednesday called a poetential Russian-Ukrainian settlement "the most important issue" for Europe.

Speaking at a news conference in Minsk following a meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto, Aleinik said the two officials discussed the situation in Ukraine, a neighboring country for both states.

"We consider the causes of the conflict to be complicated and complex. We know for sure that this whole situation was provoked from the outside, and now it is being incited from the outside by those who receive direct dividends from it. All others bear the costs. As a result, thousands of people are dying, including civilians, and millions have become refugees," he stressed.

Aleinik warned that further provocations, pushing Ukraine into military confrontation "to the last Ukrainian," and supplying it with weapons, including long-range ones, may lead to a global catastrophe and irreversible consequences. Such actions, he added, "will definitely lead to even worse consequences for Ukraine itself and its population."

"Minsk's position has been unchanged from the very beginning – it is necessary to stop the loss of life and start negotiations. Right now. And we, for our part, are ready to help in every possible way. The Minsk platform is open for negotiations. This is in our common interest. There is no more important issue for our common European home today," he underscored.

Aleinik also complained that some countries, including Belarus' neighbors, "are trying to force Minsk to become part of the conflict."

"Belarus is a peaceful country. Our land is enough for us. We are not going to attack anyone. But we will not sit idly by either. Belarus has been making peace initiatives on various platforms for many years, drawing the attention of the international community to the need to work together on the architecture of European and Eurasian security," he said.

For his part, Szijjarto pledged to oppose EU sanctions that would negatively affect Hungary and its economy, as well as Hungarian-Belarusian cooperation.

"We definitely take the position that the sanctions policy has failed. This is not a political statement; it is a fact," he emphasized.

The Hungarian diplomat criticized statements by a number of European politicians about the conflict in Ukraine, which could lead to a clash with Russia.

"To be honest, we in Hungary are horrified by statements that threaten to escalate hostilities. From statements that member states of the European Union or NATO may send troops to Ukraine. I am horrified by the statements about the possible use of nuclear weapons. I am also horrified by the statements about the introduction of compulsory conscription in Europe," he said.

The Hungarian authorities are "deeply concerned" that the risk of an escalation of the war is increasing every day. Budapest stands for an immediate ceasefire and the start of peace talks on Ukraine.

"During our discussion today, I asked my Belarusian colleague to do everything in his power to end the war in Ukraine, put an end to human suffering and senseless killings, and allow us all to live in peace again," he said.