US envoy Keith Kellogg to meet Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in the coming days, Reuters reported on June 17. The visit comes as peace talks to bring an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine remain inconclusive. This is not the first time a US official has visited Belarus, with Deputy Assistant State Secretary Christopher W. Smith visiting in February for a prisoner swap. Lukashenko has been in power since 1994 and has been accused of staging fraudulent elections. Kellogg’s meeting with Lukashenko could help reinitiate peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, two sources told Reuters. The White House has discussed ways to weaken Russia’s influence on Minsk and bring Belarus closer to the US.
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