UPDATE - Wagner chief Prigozhin is not in Belarus but in Russia, says Belarusian president

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY BELARUSSIAN PRESIDENT

By Ceyhun Alizade

ANKARA (AA) – Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is not currently in Belarus, where he was exiled after the mercenary group's short-lived uprising last month, but in St. Petersburg, Russia, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday.

"As for Yevgeny Prigozhin, he is in (Russia's) St. Petersburg. Where is he this morning? Maybe he went to Moscow, maybe somewhere else, but he is not on the territory of Belarus," Lukashenko told reporters during a news conference in the capital Minsk.

Lukashenko said that he sees no risks for Belarus if the paramilitary group fighters are deployed in his country, adding that they can be used for the defense of Belarus.

"As far as I am informed, the fighters – very serious fighters of the Wagner PMC – are in their permanent camps. They are in those camps where they were placed after the withdrawal from the front for recovery, treatment, rest, and so on. There is a normal rotation for such a war. After (fights in Ukraine's) Bakhmut, they were taken to their camp, where they are today.”

He also underlined that the issue of relocation and deployment of the Wagner Group in Belarus has not been resolved yet and it depends on the paramilitary group's management and the Russian authorities.

According to Lukashenko, "a legally binding contract" will be signed with Wagner if its fighters are located in the country.

"At the level of law or a presidential decree, the framework within which this unit will operate will be determined," he said.

Lukashenko further said the relations between Belarus and Russia after the Wagner rebellion will be "even stronger."

On June 24, Prigozhin accused the Russian Defense Ministry of attacking its fighters, declared a "March of Justice," and set off toward Moscow.

The Russian Federal Security Service designated Wagner Group's actions "an armed rebellion" and opened a criminal case against Prigozhin, while President Vladimir Putin called the private military company's uprising an act of "treason."

Prigozhin, however, later turned back "to avoid bloodshed" and has since moved to Belarus under a deal brokered by Lukashenko.

- Ukraine conflict

Lukashenko said he is sure that there is still an opportunity to solve the conflict in Ukraine.

"Today they (the leadership of Ukraine) need to think again. There is a package on negotiations on the table, a whole package of issues that can be agreed upon. Tomorrow it will be impossible," he said.

"Today, it is possible to talk with Ukraine and reach some kind of peace agreement. But after the so-called counteroffensive, the situation will change and will they want to talk to you (the leadership of Ukraine?)"

He also claimed that a serious conflict began in Ukraine between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the top military authorities.

"It must stop now. There have already been done a lot of bad things. But it could be worse. Therefore, we need to stop now, sit down at the negotiating table. Without preconditions. We must decide everything at the negotiating table," he said.

He claimed that Zelenskyy "finally realized that he would not win this war," adding that this is the reason for the ultimatum that he put forward to the West regarding his participation in the NATO summit.

Lukashenko believes that the fight in Ukraine will intensify as Ukraine still has considerable strategic reserves. "By July 11 (NATO summit in Vilnius) they must demonstrate something," he said.

Also, Lukashenko emphasized the "complete dependence" of the EU policy on the US.

"There is no EU, no Europe anymore. It is completely under the feet of the US. And everything that is accepted in Washington is accepted by the Europeans," he asserted, saying that West sees itself as "masters of everything."