Events

18 Dec 2025

Lukashenko: Trump should rely more on First Lady’s soft power in foreign affairs

Donald Trump/TASS Russian News Agency

MINSK, 18 December (BelTA) – We extended invitation to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and his family to visit Belarus, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he answered questions following his Address to the Belarusian people and the Parliament, BelTA has learned.

The head of state was asked whether it might be worthwhile to focus on the repatriation of people with Belarusian roots to Belarus. “Perhaps we should start by taking advantage of your good relations with the U.S. president and invite the family of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has Belarusian roots, to Belarus around the time of a significant holiday for the Jewish people. So that they could visit their ancestral homeland,” opposition politician Anna Konopatskaya suggested.

“No matter how hard I try, I am unlikely to succeed in repatriating Kushner to Belarus,” Aleksandr Lukashenko replied with a touch of humor. “I will certainly keep trying. Frankly, I extended an invitation through Aleksandr Genrikhovich [Belarusian Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin]. He is from there [Jared Kushner’s ancestors are from Novogrudok District]. We extended an invitation to the U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner, Jared’s father. We have invited him too, and we maintain a dialogue; he responds. We have conveyed the same invitation to Jared. For some reason, the message may not have gotten through yet. However, I will be sure to raise this point with Trump on your behalf when we meet.”

“Last time I spoke to John Coale [U.S. Special Envoy for Belarus] I asked him: ‘Why isn’t Mr Trump relying more on the strongest weapon he has? I mean Melania Trump.’ After all, she’s of Slavic origin, a Slovenian. She could achieve much regarding both the Ukrainian conflict and Belarus. It would be good if she were more engaged in this,” the president said. “I proposed the idea to them. And I meant it seriously: Melania should become more engaged in resolving political issues. It would actually benefit Trump. Let’s be frank, Kushner has been heavily involved in finding solutions in Gaza, in Ukraine, and has accomplished a fair bit.”