Belarus Says Ready to Facilitate Ukraine Talks

Belarus has said it is prepared to help facilitate talks aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine, with its foreign minister telling the United Nations General Assembly that any lasting settlement must address what he called the conflict's "root causes."

The offer was made during the foreign minister's address to the Assembly's general debate, a forum where countries lay out their positions on major international issues. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has occasionally positioned itself as a potential venue or intermediary for discussions related to the war in neighboring Ukraine.

The foreign minister's remarks did not specify what concrete steps Belarus might take to facilitate any negotiations, nor did they detail what Minsk considers to be the conflict's root causes. The comments were framed within a broader call for a durable resolution rather than a temporary ceasefire.

Belarus has previously hosted or offered to host talks related to the conflict, given its geographic proximity to Ukraine and its close ties with Moscow. Its role in any future negotiation process, however, would likely depend on acceptance from the other parties involved.

The statement adds to a range of positions expressed by different countries during this year's General Assembly session regarding paths toward ending the war.