During a meeting in Alaska, Donald Trump maintained contact with Alexander Lukashenko to understand Vladimir Putin’s intentions. Lukashenko, the President of Belarus, is considered a close ally of Putin. Trump engaged with Lukashenko throughout the discussions.
Trump aimed to discern Putin’s true objectives through Lukashenko. Before the meeting, the former US President contacted Lukashenko. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff were also present at the meeting.
Reports from Ukraine and European nations suggested that Putin’s strategy was to delay proceedings. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Putin intended to appease Trump, feigning dialogue to avoid action.
Zelenskyy claimed Putin did not seek peace and aimed to seize territory through conflict. Therefore, Donald Trump persistently sought to determine whether Putin was merely attempting to stall.
Alexander Lukashenko has been the President of Belarus since its separation from the Soviet Union. Lukashenko is known as a close associate of Vladimir Putin. Born in 1954, Lukashenko studied agriculture. In 1975, Lukashenko joined the Soviet army, serving for two years.
Lukashenko is often referred to as the last dictator of Europe. In 1979, Lukashenko became a member of the Soviet Communist Party. In 1992, Lukashenko was elected Vice-President of the Soviet-Belarusian Supreme Council.
In 1994, when the constitution of Belarus was established, Lukashenko was elected as the first President. He has held this position since then. Lukashenko was among the first world leaders to openly support Russia’s actions in the Ukraine war.
