In the course of Wednesday’s telephone conversation, president Alyaksandr Lukashenka invited his Ukrainian counterpart to visit Belarus ‘any time and in any format’. Volodymyr Zelensky has accepted the invitation, the presidential press service reports.
In turn, Zelensky said the Belarusian leader would be welcome at the 2nd Forum of Regions of Belarus and Ukraine that will take place in Zhytomyr in October, 2019. Alyaksandr Lukashenka expressed readiness to participate in the event as once he was an ‘initiator and co-founder’ of it.
Volodymyr Zelensky briefed Alyaksandr Lukashenka on the situation in Donbas and thanked him for ‘offering an efficient negotiating platform and for the role Belarus plays in the conflict resolution’.
In addition, the parties discussed joint efforts in maintaining national security in the energy sectors of Belarus and Ukraine.
Interestingly, Lukashenka said in the run-up to the second round of the elections in Ukraine that Volodymyr Zelensky was unlikely to become Ukraine’s president and warned the Ukrainians against voting him.
In turn, when being a comedian, Zelensky often made fun of Lukashenka in his performances.
On July 8, Volodymyr Zelensky offered Vladimir Putin to come to Minsk and discuss the issues of Crimea and Donbas, According to him, US president Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, German chancellor Angela Merkel, French president Emmanuel Macron should also take part in the would-be summit.
“Need to talk? Yes, we do. Let’s talk. Let’s discuss whose Crimea is and who does not have any troops in Donbas <…> What about a venue? I think Alyaksandr Lukashenka would be happy to host us in Minsk,” the Ukrainian president said.
