{"id":162531,"date":"2025-10-31T20:27:58","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T17:27:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/162531\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"lukasenka-eyes-grand-bargain-with-washington-to-protect-his-interests","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/162531\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0141uka\u0161enka eyes “grand bargain” with Washington based on his interests"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n \"\"\n
\n \n
\n (Donald Trump's Facebook account)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

October 31, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka has declared his readiness to make a “grand bargain” with the United States provided that “our interests” are respected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian ruler made this statement during a working trip to the Viciebsk region today without specifying his exact demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI tell the Americans: you have to understand me. . . I said that [US President Donald] Trump acts the same way,\u201d \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s press office quoted him as saying. \u201cThat\u2019s the essence of this \u2018grand bargain\u2019: we do what they want, and they do what we want. We\u2019re ready for that \u2014 but we have our own interests.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka claimed he is defending the interests of the Belarusian people and said he will act only with their approval. \u201cWhen they understand me, I\u2019ll do it. If they don\u2019t, I won\u2019t. That\u2019s all,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier, Pavie\u0142 \u0141atu\u0161ka, an exiled opposition leader, said that \u0141uka\u0161enka does not have any bargain for Belarusians, because he wants to come to terms with the West \u201cwithout a real change in policy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few weeks ago, Marcin Bosacki of the Polish foreign ministry said that John Coale, US deputy special envoy for Ukraine, had reached an agreement with Minsk on the next round of Belarusian prisoner releases. The deal has not yet materialized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s idea of a \u201cgrand bargain\u201d with Washington may harm negotiations on the release of jailed Belarusian dissidents, Franak Via\u010dorka, an aide to Belarusian opposition leader \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja, said last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n
\n \"\"