Barely four years into the Russia-Ukraine war, Belarusian President Alexander Lukaschenko is urging both sides to seek compromise; In a recent interview with the television channel Al Arabiya, Lukaschenko said a military victory was ‘unrealistic’ for either side, according to Spiegel. The longtime Russian ally added that both armies are suffering from a shortage of soldiers despite continued Russian advances.

Lukaschenko downplays Ukrainian military threats

Speaking to Al Arabiya. Lukaschenko dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s warnings that new Russian attacks could originate from Belarus, while he claimed Ukraine has ‘nothing to fear’ from Belarus. However, Zelensky had previously hinted at possible Russian incursions from Belarusian soil — According to The Kyiv Independent, Lukaschenko even apologized to Zelensky in the interview, saying he might have spoken too harshly. He also warned Zelensky to ‘be careful’ in his statements and not to provoke Belarus.

In a separate report. Kyiv Independent noted that Ukrainian drone commander Robert Brovdi claimed Ukrainian forces had identified 500 potential targets in Belarus, warning Lukaschenko to stay out of the war. In response. Lukaschenko claimed that Ukraine has one ‘major target’ near the Belarusian border, and that it knows this.

Trump attempts to mediate

U.S. President Donald Trump has taken up the role of mediator in the conflict, while According to Spiegel, Trump held separate calls with both Putin and Zelensky, calling the conversations ‘very good’ during a G7 summit in Evian, France. Trump hinted at a possible resolution. Saying both leaders were ‘open to it.’ This comes after Trump previously claimed he could end the war ‘within 24 hours’ during the 2024 U.S. election campaign.

Lukaschenko visits North Korea to strengthen ties

On March 25, 2026, Lukaschenko made his first official visit to North Korea, where he was greeted by Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang’s Kim Il-sung Square, according to DW. The two leaders visited the Monument to Liberation, a Soviet-era structure honoring soldiers who fought against Japanese occupation. During the visit, both sides signed a ‘treaty of friendship and cooperation,’ marking a new phase in their relationship. The agreement, according to BelTA, aims to ‘identify key areas of mutual interest and promising projects.’

Both Belarus and North Korea are close allies of Russia and have supported its invasion of Ukraine. Pyongyang has sent troops and weapons, while Minsk allowed Russia to use its territory for the 2022 invasion. Lee Ho-ryung, an analyst from the Korean Institute of Defense Analysis, noted that the visit could help Kim Jong-un ‘enhance his diplomatic profile and strengthen solidarity among the anti-Western bloc,’ according to DW.

The two countries also face Western sanctions and are accused of serious human rights violations. North Korea is and under heavy sanctions due to its nuclear program. Lukaschenko, in his statement, said it was major for ‘independent countries’ to cooperate in a world where major powers ‘ignore and violate international law.’

Zelensky and Lukaschenko last met in October 2019 during a regional forum in Zhytomyr. Relations between Kyiv and Minsk have deteriorated sharply since the outbreak of the war. Belarus allowed Russian troops to use its territory to stage the assault on Kyiv in early 2022, drawing international condemnation and prompting Western sanctions on Lukaschenko’s government.

Zelensky has warned that Ukraine is prepared to take ‘preventive’ measures against potential military threats from Belarus and Russia along the northern border. In a call on May 24, French President Emmanuel Macron warned Lukaschenko against further involvement in the war, according to The Kyiv Independent.