Russian FM names Belarus, Türkiye as potential Ukraine mediators

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in Minsk that Belarus, alongside Türkiye, could play a constructive mediating role in resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

Lavrov noted that Moscow sees several countries capable of making a real contribution to forming a negotiation platform, naming Belarus and Türkiye among the potential mediators, Caliber.Az reports, citing BelTA.

He recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin recently discussed the issue with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who also expressed interest in supporting a peace process.

The minister stressed that Minsk has repeatedly shown readiness to take part in such efforts.

“President Lukashenko has said more than once that for Belarus this is not a matter of moral or political posture, but of practical importance,” Lavrov said.

He added that Russia values the positions of Belarus, Türkiye and Hungary regarding possible mediation and “certainly appreciates” the stance of the United States on the matter.

Belarus, under Lukashenko, has increasingly pitched itself as a mediator in the Ukraine war: Minsk claims it understands both Moscow’s and Kyiv’s perspectives and has even begun active dialogue with the U.S. about a peace process.

However, Ukraine strongly rejects Belarus’s role in mediation, pointing out that Belarus allowed Russian forces to use its territory, which undermines Minsk’s neutrality.

On Türkiye’s side, Ankara has leveraged its “balancing” diplomatic profile — as a NATO country that hasn’t fully sided with Western sanctions on Russia, while also supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity — to position itself as a credible broker.

Türkiye’s mediation experience is not new: it hosted key talks early in the war, helped broker the Black Sea Grain Initiative, and continues to facilitate humanitarian negotiations (e.g., prisoner exchanges).

By Jeyhun Aghazada