To appease Lukashenko: diplomat explained the purpose of Trump representative’s visit to Belarus

The likely topics of negotiations between US Special Representative Keith Kellogg and Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko were the Zapad-2025 exercises, relations with China, and preventing escalation on the western borders of Belarus.

This opinion was expressed on the air of “Pryamoye” by Pavlo Latushko, diplomat, deputy head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, head of the People’s Anti-Crisis Management.

“This visit is either something big and unknown, or empty and insignificant. It is difficult to understand the logic and reason why such a high representative, the special representative of US President Donald Trump, is planning to come and meet with Lukashenko. The first thing that comes to mind is to discuss with Lukashenko the exercises that he plans to organize together with the Russians. Although we have already heard the statement of General Khrenin, Lukashenko’s Minister of Defense, that these exercises will not take place along the western border, it is clear that we cannot believe Khrenin’s words, so we need to monitor very closely how events will develop,” Latushko noted.

In his opinion, during the visit, Kellogg gave a “strong signal to Lukashenko” that the situation on the borders with Ukraine, as well as on the borders with Western European countries – Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, should not be provoked. Relations with China could also have been one of the topics.

“Lukashenko is very actively betting on China. We know about the conflicting, confrontational relations between the US and China. And here, I think, the Americans can put pressure on Lukashenko to be less active in the Chinese direction,” the diplomat added.

At the same time, Latushko emphasized that Lukashenko cannot be a mediator in peace negotiations with the Russian Federation, since he is completely dependent on the Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin and is in fact an aggressor.

“Lukashenko is not a mediator. He is an aggressor. This is the man who made the decision that the territory of Belarus would be used for the Russian army’s invasion of Ukraine, shelling of Ukraine. And he helps in the production of weapons, he helps circumvent sanctions in the interests of the Russian Federation. If he is to be at any negotiations, then he should sit on the side of the Kremlin leader, as an accomplice in this aggression, but not a mediator,” the Belarusian oppositionist said.

On the other hand, for the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, this visit is very important, because in this way Lukashenko seeks to restore subjectivity and show the world that “the most important countries in the world, in particular the USA, are talking to me.”

“It may be pleasant for Lukashenko. It may be pleasant for Putin, because holding negotiations on the territory of Belarus poses fewer security risks for Putin than going to a country that signed the Rome Statute, where the international court will operate. It is clear that Putin behaves there as if he were at home, because that is how he views Belarus,” Latushko summed up.

As a reminder, on June 21, Donald Trump’s special representative for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, visited Belarus , where he met with self-proclaimed President Alexander Lukashenko. Later, it became known thata number of political prisoners were released in Belarus , including opposition figure Serhiy Tikhanovsky.

Earlier it was reported that the US President’s special representative for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, plans to visit Belarus to meet with President Alexander Lukashenko. As Reuters interlocutors noted, Kellogg will make a trip to Belarus amid the lack of progress in the ceasefire talks in Ukraine.

The exact agenda of the meeting is unknown, although Kellogg has privately described the trip as a step that could help jumpstart a peace process to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The U.S. State Department and the Belarusian embassy in Washington declined to comment. Kellogg and the White House also did not respond to requests for comment.

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