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Lukashenko: Everything is ready for Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Gomel

MINSK, 27 February (BelTA) – Everything is ready for peace talks between Russian and Ukraine in Gomel. They are waiting for the decision of the Ukrainian leadership, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko told the media after casting his ballot at the referendum on the updated Constitution of Belarus on 27 February, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said that he talked to Vladimir Putin a few days ago and the Russian president reaffirmed his readiness to hold talks with Ukraine. Later the Russian leader asked the Belarusian head of state to help organize such talks. In the end, however, Ukraine refused to take part in the talks.

Gomel prepared a venue for talks, welcomed the Russian delegation. The only thing left was to wait for a response from Ukraine.

“We tried to contact Zelensky and finally managed to do it by the morning. The answer was ‘Maybe’. I can already say it openly ‘The man is not assessing the situation adequately, he does not know what is really happening,’” the president said.

“I am waiting for the decision,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The president stressed that the most dangerous things, an escalation of the conflict, is yet to come. The Yugoslavian events may repeat, and it is important to prevent such developments. Only negotiations can help, the Belarusian leader is convinced. “If they [the Ukrainian leadership] have any responsibility for their people, if they do not want to lose their state and statehood, they should sit down at the negotiating table and solve these issues,” the head of state said.

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