Belarus President’s Spokeswoman Denies Ukraine-Russia Talks”>Lukashenko Apologized to Zelensky Over Ukraine Invasion
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko did not apologize to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky during a phone call in the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to a statement by Lukashenko’s press secretary, Natalia Eismeont.
The denial comes following an interview given by Zelensky to American podcaster Lex Fridman, where the Ukrainian President claimed that Lukashenko had expressed remorse for Russian rockets striking Ukraine from Belarusian territory and suggested retaliatory strikes on the Mозырский нефтеперерабатывающий завод (Mozyr Oil Refinery).
Eismeont clarified that the phone call indeed took place, attributing the connection to Lukashenko’s younger son, Nichols, who had Zelensky’s direct contact. She elaborated on the conversation’s contents, asserting that Lukashenko emphasized the conflict’s origins in Ukraine and advocate for diplomatic dialogue, leading to talks in Belarus and later in Istanbul.
"Our President did not offer any apologies to President Zelensky," Eismeont stated. "There’s no reason for us to apologize, as we haven’t done anything wrong."
