“In my conversation with Lukashenko we discussed a full and unconditional cease fire. Any limitation on Kyiv's conduct was conditional on reciprocal action by Moscow,” he said.
“At no point did I make comments related to Ukraine's prosecution of the war outside of a total ceasefire.”
On June 21, Lukashenko met with Kellogg at the Palace of Independence in Minsk. He became the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the authoritarian state since then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit during Trump's first term in 2020.
On the same day, Belarus released several political prisoners, including blogger Sergei Tikhanovskiy, a central figure in the 2020 protests. His wife, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, became the leader of the Belarusian opposition after his arrest and imprisonment.
Sources told NV that during the meeting, Kellogg and Lukashenko discussed not only the release of prisoners but also the possibility of easing certain sanctions.