Belarus is ready to take control over the Ukrainian-Russian border in the Donbas
Belarus is ready to take control over the Ukrainian-Russian border in the Donbas and organize local elections on the territories not controlled by Ukraine, as stated by the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, during a conversation with the media and bloggers from Russia, Tut.by reports.
"I spoke with Putin and told him that whatever the cost, we need to come up with something to begin the resolution process ... There will be no winners in this war. The longer the conflict lasts, the worse it will be for Ukraine, Russia, and those who stayed there," Lukashenko said.
According to him, a way out can be found.
"How? If there is a will on both sides, then a way out could be found. If these two sides will agree, and see a role for Belarus, then we are ready. We are ready to help with local elections, which is much talked about in this conflict – we are ready to arrange them. If you want – we will close the borders in the Donbas, the 400 kilometers of the border between Ukraine and Russia, we will put things in order - we will do it," Lukashenko suggested. According to him, Belarus passed its proposals to the West and Russia.
"We offered this to Western leaders as well, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin knows our proposals – but they have not responded. Which means they don't want it, especially the West. Which means that they do not need a peace in Ukraine," Lukashenko believes.
"We're native people. Belarusians, Ukrainians, and Russians – do we have to fight? We have to start, all will be forgotten, all will be healed ... I do not want to go into details, but you should know one thing - Ukrainians and Russians trust us. We are not trying to become peacemakers and mediators too eagerly, but as human beings, as men and brothers we are ready to help," he concluded.
Ukraine is urging the deployment of an OSCE police mission to the Ukrainian-Russian border in the Donbas.