The Special Representative of the President of the United States for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, plans to visit Belarus in the near future. According to several informed sources, Kellogg is expected to meet with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during the visit. This could mark the first visit by a high-ranking U.S. official to the country in many years amid unsuccessful attempts to reach a ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Purpose of the Visit and Prospects for Peace Negotiations
While the official agenda of the meeting has not yet been disclosed, sources indicate that in private conversations, Kellogg has noted that this trip could be an important step toward initiating peace negotiations aimed at stopping Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The exact agenda of the meeting is unknown, although Kellogg referred to this trip in private conversations as a step that could help initiate peace negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to two sources who wished to remain anonymous.
Preparing for such diplomatic missions requires lengthy negotiations, and organizers do not rule out the possibility of cancellation or last-minute changes to plans. The U.S. State Department, as well as the Belarusian embassy in Washington, have refrained from commenting on the upcoming visit. The White House also did not comment on the situation.
Context and History of Diplomatic Relations
The last visit by a high-ranking American official to Belarus occurred in 2020 when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited the country in an attempt to improve relations between Minsk and Washington. At that time, relations between Belarus and Russia were at their lowest point in decades.
A shift in the political course occurred after the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, which were deemed by international observers as not meeting the standards of free and fair elections. Following the elections, the country was engulfed in mass protests that were violently suppressed. U.S. President Joe Biden subsequently reassessed the approach to cooperation with Belarus, and in 2022, the activities of the American embassy in Minsk were halted.
The Belarusian leadership supported Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and provided its territory and airspace for the actions of the Russian army, leading to numerous attacks on peaceful Ukrainian cities.