Opinions & Interviews
Lukashenko sets terms for potential Trump meeting, sealing ‘big deal’
MINSK, 19 April (BelTA) - Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, in an interview with RT, said when he is ready to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump and strike a “big deal”, BelTA has learned.
The RT journalist pointed out that there had been talk earlier about Aleksandr Lukashenko’s possible trip to the USA, and asked if he was planning one. The Belarusian leader replied that he is prepared to meet the White House chief once certain matters are settled.
The conversation also touched on the “big deal”, which, according to the Belarusian president, has been discussed since the very beginning of negotiations between Minsk and Washington. However, there are certain issues that the parties still need to work out.
“The Americans need to understand, and many in Europe already do, that sanctions haven’t served their purpose. We’ve adapted. So political prisoners, sanctions... Look, that’s small stuff,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko. “We have much bigger issues that need to be resolved. And that is the subject of a big deal. As soon as we prepare this at a lower level, we are ready to meet with Donald and sign this agreement.”
The president emphasized that the deal must take into account the interests of both sides. “I am ready for this meeting. We are ready for a deal, but it needs to be prepared so that the interests of both the United States of America and Belarus are reflected,” he said.
At the same time, Aleksandr Lukashenko added that the meeting with Donald Trump is not an end in itself for him. “It’s not true that I’m absolutely dying to go to the United States just to shake Donald Trump’s hand. I’ll be honest, it would be nice to see this man face-to-face and shake his hand. But that’s not the goal, that’s not the main thing,” he added.
The Belarusian leader also described how he envisions a potential meeting with the U.S. leader: “If the American side sees it as a vassal meeting with an emperor, that won’t happen. This isn’t some pompous or cocky policy. No, this is the policy of a real president who respects his own people.”
The head of state added that in this sense, his position differs from that of Vladimir Zelensky. “I’m not like Volodya Zelensky, who would run to Donald Trump to beg for money or weapons. Do I need that? Yes. Money would be good, weapons would be good too. But I understand that my situation is radically different from Zelensky’s. I don’t need to bow and beg for anything. It wouldn’t hurt, but for now we’re managing without it,” Aleksandr Lukashenko concluded.
As BelTA reported earlier, U.S. Special Envoy John Coale, following talks in Minsk, told the media about preparations for a possible visit by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to the United States. He also noted that President Donald Trump “constantly speaks about President Lukashenko, referring to him as a very good friend and a respected world leader”.
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