Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was invited by the U.S. to visit for the first meeting of the “World Council” on February 19, which aims to address the conflict in Gaza. However, the event conflicted with other commitments in the President’s schedule, according to Lukashenko’s press secretary, Natalia Eismont, speaking to Vedomosti.
“An invitation to the first leaders’ meeting within the framework of the ‘World Council’ was extended to the President of Belarus. Unfortunately, we received it too late, and the President’s work schedule for that period was already planned. We would have gladly visited the United States, but there are issues that cannot be postponed,” Eismont noted, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
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In addition, in Minsk “they take into account the possible logistical difficulties that may arise due to illegal sanctions, primarily from the European Union—considering the closure of airspace.” “And despite our desire, the President will not be able to participate in this event,” Eismont added.
According to her, instead of the President, Belarus will be represented at the first meeting of the “World Council” in the U.S. by Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhennkov, with the American side already being informed about this. At the same time, Minsk, as Eismont noted, “fully shares the U.S. President’s and the ‘World Council’s’ goal of resolving all global conflicts through peaceful means.”
On January 20, Lukashenko was the first to publicly sign the decision to join Trump’s “World Council.” Later, on the sidelines of the Davos forum, Trump, along with 18 other world leaders, held the founding meeting of the organization. Russia received an invitation but has not yet responded. The first meeting of the “World Council” is scheduled for February 19 at the Trump Peace Institute, located at the U.S. State Department in Washington, according to Axios, citing American officials and diplomats from four countries. The last time Lukashenko visited the U.S. was in 2015 when he addressed the 70th UN General Assembly.
