Minsk reaches out to Brazil to secure place at possible peace talks

Alaksandar Łukašenka has reiterated his intention to take part in Ukraine settlement, and Moscow seems willing to let him participate in possible future negotiations. The Belarusian leader has reached out to Brazil for help in advancing his interests.

Propaganda plays up Minsk’s role

At the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, Minsk arranged a couple of meetings between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators. However, Kyiv and its Western partners see the Łukašenka regime as Moscow’s political tool rather than as a potential participant in Ukraine settlement talks.

Łukašenka has turned to Brazil to help him advance his initiatives but his chances of making a breakthrough remain slim.

Vadzim Hihin, a pro-government historian and propagandist, claimed in an Alfa Radio show a few days ago that “very many forces in the world” pin their hopes on Belarus for settlement in Ukraine. He would not elaborate.

Łukašenka casts himself as peace broker

Days after Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, the Belarusian ruler offered Moscow and Kyiv his peace brokerage services, stressing that Belarus was the ideal place for resolving the “Slavic” conflict.

Delegations from the two warring sides held a couple of meetings in Belarus in the first weeks of the war. After Russian forces captured key areas north and east of Kyiv, Ukrainian officials were forced to accept the Belarusian ruler’s offer. Talks were later moved to Turkey and eventually ended in failure.

In March 2022, Kyiv made it clear that it sees Belarus as a co-aggressor and rejected any attempts to impose new Minsk agreements on Ukraine. Kyiv’s Western partners share that view because Belarus does not only provide political and military support for Russia, but it also hosts Russian nuclear weapons and Wagner Group mercenaries. Western politicians see Belarus as part of Vladimir Putin’s military plan.

While Ukraine and the West simply ignore Łukašenka’s peace proposals, Moscow promotes the idea that Belarus should be involved in possible peace talks.

However, Moscow’s key BRICS partners – China, Brazil, India and South Africa – ignore Belarus’ peace initiatives too, despite pushing for a negotiated settlement.

Senior officials from about 40 countries met in Jeddah in mid-May to draft key principles on ending the war. Russia and Belarus were not invited. China urged the summit participants to take into account Russia’s interests, while Brazil called for direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow. Belarus, however, was out of the picture.

That must have angered the Belarusian ruler and he decided to remind the world of his peace proposals. He reached out to Brazil to help him disseminate his message.

Invitation for Brazilian president

Łukašenka met with Brazilian Ambassador Bernard Jorg Leopold de Garcia Klingl on August 10 to invite Brazilian President Lula da Silva to visit Belarus.

Belarusian state media outlets quoted the Brazilian ambassador as saying, “We also see you as a man who does not only have a good knowledge of the situation, but also a man who can take part in this dialogue and contribute to the resolution of the situation.”

The meeting took place weeks after the Jeddah Summit, at which Celso Amorim, a Brazilian diplomat, stressed the need for engagement with Russia. Minsk found it necessary to remind the Brazilians of Łukašenka’s peace effort.

Hihin’s remark, broadcast the day after the August 10 meeting, proves that it was a priority topic in Łukašenka’s conversation with the ambassador.

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The Brazilian leader may visit Minsk if he decides to travel to Russia. Belarus applied in May for membership of BRICS, but the item has not yet been placed on the economic bloc’s agenda.

Brazil and China will not be able to guarantee Minsk a seat at the negotiating table as long as the West and Ukraine refuse to deal with Łukašenka and see him as a Russian puppet.