Lukashenko Calls to “End This Spat” and Negotiate Amid Ukraine’s Incursion in Kursk Region

As Ukrainian forces continue their operation in Russia’s Kursk region, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has called for an immediate end to the war, stating: “Let’s sit down at the negotiating table and end this spat. Neither Ukrainians, nor Russians, nor Belarusians need it.”

Previously, Belarus gave instructions to transfer some military equipment from combat units to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, due to an urgent request from the Russian side in connection with losses and a shortage of equipment, both in the Kursk region and in other areas.

Lukashenko’s comments come as Ukraine’s military advances in the Kursk region have been so far successful, with Ukrainian forces now captured 82 settlements and moved in 1,150 km² and 35 km in depth since the beginning of the incursion on August 6, according to Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Kursk operation has caught Russia off guard, prompting Russian personnel to dig trenches near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in anticipation of further Ukrainian advances. Zelenskyy has also stated that hundreds of Russian soldiers surrendered to Ukrainian forces.