**US Envoy Denies Claim on Limiting Ukraine’s Drone Strikes**
The United States Special Envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has denied claims made by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko that he agreed to work on halting Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russia. This contradiction comes after Lukashenko said he relayed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s position to Kellogg during their meeting in Minsk on June 21.
According to Lukashenko, the Russian president is willing to consider a ceasefire in Ukraine if Ukrainian forces stop conducting drone strikes on Russian territory. However, Kellogg took to social media platform X to dispute this claim, stating that it was “taken out of context” and misrepresented the substance of their talks. He emphasized that at no point did he make comments related to Ukraine’s prosecution of the war outside of a total ceasefire.
Kellogg said in his statement, “In my conversation with Lukashenko, we discussed a full and unconditional ceasefire.” This denial by Kellogg contradicts Lukashenko’s claim that the US envoy agreed to work on halting Ukraine’s drone attacks. The meeting between Kellogg and Lukashenko marked the highest-level US visit to Belarus since 2020.
**Background and Implications**
The June meeting between Kellogg and Lukashenko has significant implications for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Belarusian state media portrayed the talks as a sign of thawing relations, but it remains unclear what exactly was discussed during the conversation. The release of opposition leader Siarhei Tsikhanouski shortly after the talks suggests that the US visit may have had some influence on Belarus’s actions.
Belarus has been a key ally of Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, allowing Russian troops and equipment to use its territory to attack Ukraine. The exact terms of any potential ceasefire or agreement between Russia and Ukraine remain unclear.
**Analysis**
The denial by Kellogg contradicts Lukashenko’s claim, leaving many questions unanswered. What exactly was discussed during the conversation between Kellogg and Lukashenko? Does this incident reflect a deeper divide in the international community’s response to the conflict in Ukraine?
This development highlights the complexities of international diplomacy and the challenges of negotiating a ceasefire amidst ongoing military conflict. The situation remains fluid, with various parties having different agendas.
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