Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has called on French President Emmanuel Macron to take the lead in facilitating direct dialogue between the European Union and Russia, asserting that the Ukraine conflict must be resolved through negotiations rather than further escalation.

In a Friday interview, Lukashenko detailed a phone conversation with Macron held on May 24, during which he proposed a meeting in Minsk involving himself, Macron, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Lukashenko noted that while Macron did not rule out such a gathering, he emphasized the need to consult European allies first. The Belarusian leader responded by urging Macron to assume initiative, describing him as “one of Europe’s most experienced statesmen.”

“You’re the veteran among Europe’s leaders. Today, you are the key player and the driving force in Europe,” Lukashenko recalled telling Macron. “You should call Putin, come, sit down, and talk man to man.”

European Union officials have long criticized that US-Russian talks on Ukraine have sidelined European interests. Despite this, the bloc has yet to agree on a single representative for potential direct negotiations with Moscow—a move Brussels halted following the 2022 conflict escalation.

On Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas accused Russia of setting a “trap” for the EU by pushing member states to decide who should speak for the bloc in direct talks with Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov countered that Moscow has never refused dialogue and “they can just call President Putin.”

Lukashenko also addressed concerns raised by Macron about Belarus potentially becoming entangled in the Ukraine conflict, dismissing such fears. “I am not planning to enter any war. Why would I?” he stated.

Additionally, Lukashenko rejected allegations that recent joint nuclear exercises between Russia and Belarus signaled preparations for broader escalation. The drills, which focused on concealed deployments, long-range maneuvers, and training troops to launch weapons from unexpected locations, were conducted by both nations.

Russia deployed nuclear weapons in Belarus in 2023 after repeated requests from Minsk and also stationed its hypersonic Oreshnik missile system there last year. The Belarusian leadership attributed these moves to Western policies they describe as aggressive.

According to Lukashenko, the Minsk government would only consider using nuclear weapons in response to an attack on Belarus itself.