In return, Lukashenko pledged that “all (Russian) planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory will remain on the ground during the flight, talks and the return of the Ukrainian delegation,” according to Zelensky on his Telegram channel.
On the same Sunday, Russia sent a delegation to Belarus to negotiate a cessation of hostilities agreement with Ukraine. However, Zelensky himself had already stressed the previous night that he would refuse to attend this kind of meeting if it was held on Belarusian soil, a country he accused of actively participating in the Russian invasion.
Putin accused Ukraine of “not taking the opportunity” of the talks.
The Russian delegation is in Belarus jommel And ready to negotiate with representatives of Kiev. “Those who show a contradiction have not taken advantage of this opportunity,” he declared during a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
The announcement of a dialogue to end the fighting came after that Putin stated that he was putting the “deterrence forces” of the Russian army on alert.
“I instruct the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff to put the deterrent forces of the Russian army on a special combat alert,” he said in a televised interview with military leaders.
Russia has the world’s second largest nuclear weapons arsenal. And a huge arsenal of ballistic missiles that form the backbone of the country’s deterrent forces.
“They see that Western countries are not only hostile to our country in the economic sphere, I mean illegal sanctions,” he added in a televised speech.
Senior officials of major countries NATO They also allow aggressive statements against Russia.”