Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has expressed his readiness to meet with US President Donald Trump once a “great deal” between the two nations is finalized.
In an interview with Russian state media, Lukashenko stated that Minsk and Washington are currently discussing a comprehensive agreement that requires the resolution of several key issues. “As soon as we prepare this at a lower level, we are ready to meet with Donald and sign this agreement,” Lukashenko said, according to BELTA.
While he noted that a face-to-face meeting would be “pleasant,” he emphasized that shaking hands with the US President is not an end in itself, but rather a step toward an agreement that must account for the interests of both sides.
A potential summit follows significant diplomatic momentum driven by Trump’s envoy, John Coale. Recently, Trump announced on Truth Social that Coale helped secure the release of 250 political prisoners in Belarus, bringing the total number of released detainees to over 500 since last May. In exchange for these humanitarian steps, the US administration agreed to ease sanctions on Belarus’s financial sector and lift restrictions on major potash producers, such as Belaruskali.
However, this diplomatic warming occurs against a backdrop of security concerns for Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky recently warned that Russia may be attempting to draw Belarus more directly into the war. Ukrainian intelligence has detected increased military activity on Belarusian territory, including the construction of roads toward the Ukrainian border and the establishment of new artillery positions. This follows a decree signed by Lukashenko on Friday authorizing the conscription of reserve officers.
As Trump prepares for an upcoming “Board of Peace” session, where Lukashenko is among the invited leaders, Kyiv continues to closely monitor the border. While Washington pursues “hard-nosed diplomacy” to secure prisoner releases and stabilize global fertilizer markets, Ukrainian officials have instructed that Minsk be warned: Ukraine is fully prepared to defend its territory against any further escalation from Belarusian soil.