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Lukashenka expected to meet with president of Ukraine on Sunday

Alyaksandr Lukashenka is expected to meet with Petro Poroshenko on December 21.

"It is very much likely that I will meet with the Ukrainian president on Sunday," the Belarusian leader said Friday in Minsk, while visiting the head office of the State Forensic Examination Committee. "He called me yesterday and asked for a meeting. We discussed some issues and I agreed [to meet with him] because we have what to talk about under these circumstances."

"I understood from this conversation that the Ukrainian leadership, in particular the president of Ukraine, does not pose any obstacle to a new round of talks in Minsk," Mr. Lukashenka said, according to the government's news agency BelTA. "He [Poroshenko] said that he was waiting for a response from the leaders of the Luhansk and Donetsk republics. If they agree, they will be able to meet in Minsk again in order to continue dialogue and think in what direction they should go."

According to Mr. Lukashenka, he advocates a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. "I understand the president of Ukraine, but there is no alternative to sitting down at the negotiating table and maintaining dialogue, however difficult this may be. The Luhansk and Donetsk leaders have no alternative either. It is necessary to talk to each other. Peace will be restored some day anyway. But it is time to stop the escalation [of the conflict] and stop innocent people from dying."

It was unclear on Friday evening where the meeting would take place. // BelaPAN