At the II Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security, the President of Belarus, Oleksandr Lukashenko, said that the war in Ukraine could end in a "draw", especially given that, in his opinion, the West seeks to "save face" and is ready for negotiations. This statement provoked a response from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, who stated that the term "draw" does not reflect the full depth of the needs of the parties and does not ensure full consideration of their interests.
Lavrov emphasized that the concept of a "draw" does not take into account the security interests of each side of the conflict, including Russia. According to him, the resolution of the situation should ensure interests at the continental level, and a "draw" does not meet this need. According to Lavrov, this approach does not take into account the "historical rights" of the Russian-speaking population, allegedly oppressed by Ukraine, as well as issues related to religious organizations, in particular, the ban on the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.
"As you know, the Ukrainian canonical Orthodox Church is banned," Lavrov said, commenting on what he believed to be oppression at the cultural and linguistic level in Ukraine.
Lukashenko is convinced that the West "finally understood" that peace in Ukraine is possible only through agreements. He believes that peace talks should include "saving face" for the West, particularly through compromises that could include the recognition of certain territorial claims or the easing of sanctions.
At the same time, the Russian side, with Lavrov's support, demonstrates its determination to continue the policy of controlling territories and influencing Ukraine's decisions on language and religious issues, believing that only in this way will a "fair resolution" be achieved.
