Belarusian President and key Putin ally Aleksandr Lukashenko has called for peace between Russia and Ukraine as Kyiv’s incursion into the Kursk region of Russia enters its third week.

Referring to the two-and-a-half-year conflict, Lukashenko said: “Let’s sit down at the negotiating table and end this scuffle”: “Neither the Ukrainian people, nor the Russians, nor the Belarusians need it. It’s them in the West, who need [the war]. I cannot reveal these facts, they are absolutely classified. But sometimes they speak openly - high-ranking people. Saying, let them beat each other - Ukrainians, Russians - let everyone die in this cauldron”.

Against the backdrop of the Kursk operation, Lukashenko sent troops to the border with Ukraine recently to “stop possible Ukrainian breakthrough”. At the same time, he claims he has no hard feelings toward Ukraine.

“Ukrainians saw that. They constantly told us they didn’t need war with Belarus. We understand this and say we will not fight with you [Ukrainians]. Belarus and Russia are not interested in expanding the contact line. The entire border is 1,200 kilometers. Now the northeastern district of the front is 1,000. Are we ready for more? No. And Kursk showed this. We don’t want escalation, and we don’t want war against all of NATO. We don’t want this”.