Belarus Offers to Broker Ukraine Peace Talks, Cites "Root Causes"

(MENAFN) Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov declared on Saturday that Minsk stands ready to help mediate an end to the war in Ukraine, insisting that any durable resolution must first tackle what he called the conflict's underlying drivers.

Speaking before the UN General Assembly in New York, Ryzhenkov argued that lasting peace remains out of reach unless negotiators confront core issues—among them, Ukraine's potential path to NATO membership and the unfulfilled Minsk agreements.

"Let me recall that the implementation of these agreements was sabotaged in order to buy time and allow Ukraine to rearm," he said.

The foreign minister called for the "speedy start of real negotiations" capable of producing a durable peace, while also taking aim at Western nations for continuing to funnel weapons to Kyiv.

Ryzhenkov additionally pushed for structural reform at the UN, specifically an enlarged Security Council that would grant greater representation to nations across the Global South. "The voice of the global majority must be heard loud and clear in the Security Council," he said.

He described the UN as Belarus's preferred venue for tackling global challenges, though he maintained the institution must modernize to reflect today's geopolitical realities.

Ryzhenkov went on to call for a broadened Eurasian security framework, stating that Minsk remains open to engaging with Western nations willing to negotiate as equals. At the same time, he rejected what he characterized as "pressure, dictates, ultimatums and illegal sanctions."

MENAFN27092026000045017169ID1111721531