Gigin: No peaceful settlement can be reached without Belarus

In a telephone conversation the previous day, Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko for his assistance and help in the process of exchanging prisoners of war with Ukraine 1000 for 1000 and in developing the agreements reached in Istanbul.

The heads of state also discussed the main topical issues on the bilateral agenda and the international situation. Minsk has never asked to be a mediator, but is always ready to facilitate the settlement of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly emphasized that Russians and Ukrainians are not strangers to Belarusians, and Slavic peoples should live in peace.

Yuri Voskresensky, political analyst:

"Belarus has always supported the peacekeeping efforts of both warring parties. It is very pleasant that thousands of prisoners of war from the Russian and Ukrainian sides have returned to their families. Moreover, since the exchange took place through the territory of Belarus, our medical institutions provided all the necessary assistance for these people to return home without the consequences of being in captivity. Belarus stands in absolute solidarity with its strategic ally and partner, the Russian Federation. While the Western countries are in absolute discord and some statements contradict others, everything is synchronized, clear and flawless in the foreign diplomacy of the Union State."

Minsk has noted positive trends towards dialogue at the Istanbul talks since their start and, for its part, created all conditions for the exchange of prisoners to take place calmly and in an organized manner.

Recall, these were the first direct negotiations in 3 years, and it is the exchange of prisoners - 1,000 people for 1,000 people - is considered the most significant result. Russia insists on "eliminating the root causes of the conflict" - Ukraine's desire to join NATO and the country's attitude towards the Russian-speaking population. The same narratives were heard from the Russian side during the negotiations 3 years ago in Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

Vadim Gigin, Director General of the National Library, member of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus:

"It will not be possible to achieve a peaceful settlement without Belarus. We are not asking for the role of mediators, but life itself dictates that Belarus should be an important part of this process. We do not live overseas, we are close people. Read our Directive No. 12, which states that Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians are part of a single civilizational community. We should come to an agreement, especially when Belarus shows readiness to render such good offices. We should assume that the coordinated work of Belarus and Russia on international platforms will be continued and will indeed yield positive results."

As for the prisoner exchange process, experts emphasize that it is necessary to understand that the organization is not easy, given the existing mistrust in the relations between official Moscow and Kiev. The Belarusian side tried to make everything as comfortable as possible for people - both Russians and Ukrainians - treating everyone in a neighborly manner. As for the continuation of the negotiations, now Russia and Ukraine, according to sources on both sides, are preparing for the second round. It is not yet known exactly where the negotiations will take place.