Moscow claims that Crimea is Russia toasted by post-invasion ‘lease’ proposal leaked by ally Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko (Photo:Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via REUTERS)
Moscow sought to agree on "leasing" Crimea from Ukraine during negotiations early in its full-scale invasion, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed during an interview with Russia 1 TV channel.
Speaking to Kremlin propagandists, Lukashenko said his younger son Nikolai allegedly helped arrange a "phone call" with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Lukashenko adds that after a lengthy conversation, Zelenskyy agreed to meet with Russia's delegation in Belarus.
"Putin handed me a document with the delegations' initials,” the self-proclaimed Belarusian president claimed.
“It's normal, even regarding Crimea - the long-term lease there, regarding Donbas in the east...A normal agreement. If only then - now it's impossible."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov later denied Lukashenko's remarks about "leasing Crimea", calling the occupied Ukrainian peninsula a "region" of Russia.
At the invasion's outset, a draft peace treaty proposed Ukraine and Russia hold bilateral talks on Crimea and Sevastopol for 15 years. However, after Russian war crimes and atrocities in Ukraine, the negotiations stalled after several rounds. Ukrainian representatives stressed Russia did not want to end the war and sought to destroy Ukraine completely.
President Zelenskyy announced on Sept. 30, 2022, that he would not meet with Russian dictator Vladmir Putin, based on the decision of the National Security and Defense Council.
Prior to that, the aggressor state tried to annex seized Ukrainian territories.
Zelenskyy reiterated that position on May 21, 2023, stating that no peace talks could occur with Russia until Russian troops leave all Ukrainian territory.
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