Glaz explained why in 2014 it was Minsk that became platform for resolving Donbass conflict
In 2014, Minsk was chosen as a platform for settling the conflict in Donbass, since Belarus was sincerely interested in bringing peace to Ukrainian land – as stated by press secretary of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Anatoly Glaz during his talk with STV TV channel
Anatoly Glaz noted, “In any challenging issue, the reasons are complex. I will tell you more, in diplomacy the platform plays a very important role for the success of negotiations, so it is always chosen with special care. Of course, there were big discussions around the Minsk venue. There were many different proposals as to where to negotiate, but none of them, to one degree or another, suited all parties at that moment. All factors converged on Belarus.”
According to Anatoly Glaz, there were many factors that influenced the choice of Minsk as a platform for resolving the conflict in Donbass, and geography also played a role here.
“Mental closeness with the Ukrainians also had its role to play, as well as the logistical convenience. Venues were offered where it took nine hours to fly. But the main factor is that no one, like Belarus, at that moment was so sincerely interested in peace on Ukrainian land. At that time, some were sceptical about this position, maybe they are sceptical now. But this is an absolute truth, because the Ukrainians, as the President says, are not an alien nation to us,” said the press secretary of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry.
