US Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg revealed he discussed the Russo-Ukrainian war directly with Belarusian self-proclaimed president Alexander Lukashenko during their 21 June meeting in Minsk, marking a significant diplomatic engagement given Belarus’s role as a key Russian ally in the war.

According to Kellogg, he told Lukashenko how President Trump “is pushing hard to stop the war and end the killing” during their discussions. The special envoy emphasized that “President Trump continues to foster peace through strength” in his approach to the conflict.

Some US officials view Kellogg’s visit as a potential step toward restarting stalled peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, though skepticism remains about reducing Moscow’s influence over Minsk due to Belarus’s strong ties with Russia.

Reuters had previously reported that sources described Kellogg’s trip as potentially helping to restart peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia after they have stalled in recent weeks.

The primary focus, however, appeared to be securing the prisoner release. Belarus released 14 political prisoners, including prominent opposition figures, journalists, and activists, following direct intervention by US President Donald Trump.

Among those freed was Sergei Tikhanovsky, a leading figure in Belarus’s 2020 pro-democracy protests, who was reunited with his wife, opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, after five years of imprisonment.

Belarus’s permanent representative to the UN, Valentin Rybakov, who participated in the 21 June meeting, also shared that Belarus and the United States are exploring the possibility of fully normalizing relations.

According to Rybakov, discussions include restoring full embassy operations in both countries, mutual visits, and other diplomatic exchanges. Belarus is also seeking the lifting of US sanctions, which Minsk considers “absolutely illegal.”