Belarus’ Lukashenko joins Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ as US eases his isolation
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was long shunned by the West because of his poor human rights record and backing for Russia's war in Ukraine.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
- Lukashenko signed an agreement on January 20 to join Trump's Board of Peace, signalling an easing of international isolation.
- Trump eased sanctions on Belarus in 2025 after Lukashenko released political prisoners, calling him a "highly respected" leader.
- The Board aims to end global conflicts, requiring members to contribute $1 billion for over three years of membership.
AI generated
MOSCOW - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed an agreement on Jan 20 to join US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, the latest step in a rapprochement with Washington after years of international isolation.
A presidential Telegram channel published video of Mr Lukashenko signing the document, and quoted him as saying he hoped to contribute towards peace in Ukraine.
Mr Lukashenko, in power since 1994, was long shunned by the West because of his poor human rights record and backing for Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
But Mr Trump in 2025 began easing sanctions on Belarus in return for the release of political prisoners.
He has called Mr Lukashenko a “highly respected” leader - a description that jars with the exiled Belarus opposition, which sees him as a dictator.
The invitation to join the Board of Peace marked a further stage in the US rehabilitation of Mr Lukashenko as it continues to negotiate with him on further prisoner releases and a normalisation of ties.
Mr Trump originally proposed establishing the Board when he announced his plan in September 2025 to end the war in Gaza. But an invitation sent to world leaders last week outlines a broad role for the body in ending conflicts globally.
A draft charter sent to about 60 countries by the US administration calls for members to contribute US$1 billion(S$1.28 billion) in cash if they want their membership to last more than three years, according to the document seen by Reuters.
On Jan 19, Mr Trump said he had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to be a member of the Board.
On Jan 20, Armenia said it would also join.
Mr Trump has claimed credit for ending a long-running conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have fought two wars since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. REUTERS
Belarus’ Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mr Ruslan Varankov, showing a letter on Jan 19 from US President Donald Trump, inviting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to join the “Board of Peace”.
PHOTO: REUTERS
