Official: Belarus open to hosting next round of Russia-Ukraine talks

The first round of negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul has been described as a tactical success for Russia, according to Nataliya Eismont, the press secretary of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

“We did not expect any other results. The negotiations—their first round—fortunately took place and had at least some result,” she remarked, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

She went on to state that Minsk shares the American assessment of the talks' outcome. “In general, we agree with the Americans in assessing the outcome of this round—it is certainly still tactical, but it is a success for the Russian leadership,” she added.

Eismont also reiterated Belarus's openness to acting as an intermediary in the peace process, should both parties agree. “As for the possible organisation of the next rounds of negotiations, I will emphasise the main thing: Belarus has never asked for the role of a mediator—neither before, nor now. This is our principled position,” she said. However, she noted that Belarus is prepared to play a role if it serves the cause of peace, especially in relation to Ukraine, which she referred to as a brotherly nation.

“But if for the sake of peace in our neighbours, in our brotherly Ukraine, it will be necessary and all parties agree, we will organise the process in a way that no other country does,” Eismont declared. According to her, any effort toward resolving the conflict in Ukraine is also closely tied to the future of Belarus.

The Istanbul meeting marked the first direct contact between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in three years, with the last face-to-face talks having taken place in March 2022. The recent session was hosted by Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on May 16, lasting just under two hours.

Prior to the meeting, Fidan announced that Moscow and Kyiv had reached a preliminary agreement to hold further discussions, underscoring a potential thaw in diplomatic channels. Following the talks, Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, stated that Moscow was “generally satisfied” with the outcome and expressed willingness to maintain dialogue. His Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, also suggested that the negotiations could continue.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who initiated the resumption of dialogue with Kyiv, did not exclude the possibility that the talks could result in a “real ceasefire”. On the Ukrainian side, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has likewise made achieving a ceasefire a top priority.

The renewed negotiations drew international attention. French President Emmanuel Macron publicly called for a ceasefire in Ukraine, urging both sides to pursue de-escalation. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer commented that European nations and Ukraine were “agreeing and coordinating” their collective response to what he called Russia’s “unacceptable” stance during the talks.

The Kremlin, for its part, emphasised that Moscow is committed to seriously pursuing a long-term peaceful settlement, but made clear that progress cannot be achieved “in the language of ultimatums.” Russian authorities stressed that any ceasefire must be carefully negotiated, with all relevant details fully discussed and agreed upon before implementation.

By Tamilla Hasanova