Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko is reportedly invited by US President Donald Trump to join the latter’s newly created “Peace Council.”
The council, unveiled by the White House last week, is intended to serve as an international body to manage Gaza after a ceasefire.
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Belarusian state media BELTA, citing Belarusian foreign ministry spokesperson Ruslan Varankov, reported on Monday that Lukashenko has received a personal invitation from Trump.
“In the context of the Gaza settlement, Belarus’s message proposes becoming a founder of the Peace Council – a new international organization,” a foreign ministry statement says.
“We highly appreciate that the American side views Belarus – and this is clearly stated in the message – as a state ready to assume the noble responsibility of building a lasting peace and leading by example, investing in a secure and prosperous future for future generations.”
Russia launched its 2022 invasion of Ukraine through Belarusian territories, with Belarus also hosting Russia’s Oreshnik strategic missiles and nuclear weapons, to the concern of Europe.
Minsk is ecstatic about the invitation and deemed it proof of Lukashenko’s “personal merits,” according to its statement.
“We also view this proposal as recognition of the personal merits and international authority of the Belarusian head of state. The proposal was reported to the President of the Republic of Belarus, and he received it positively,” it adds.
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Belarus has endured years of Western isolation and sanctions over its human rights crackdown, with widespread persecution of the opposition earning Lukashenko’s regime – in power since 1994 – the moniker “the last dictatorship in Europe” in Western media.
In 2012, in response to Western categorization of his regime as being a dictatorship, Lukashenko said, “It’s better to be a dictator than gay,” with his rule often marked by similarly perplexing quotes, such as acknowledging that he rigged the elections in 2006.
Minsk said it hopes Trump’s initiative will expand to cover other conflicts.
“Our position is as follows: We are ready to participate in the activities of the Peace Council, taking into account and hoping that this organization will expand its scope and powers far beyond the mandate proposed in the initiative,” the statement says.
“This will allow it to actively participate in global processes for the resolution of any international conflicts, which will ultimately contribute to the construction of a new security architecture, which Belarus has actively promoted in recent years.”
Despite Washington’s earlier ostracization of the Minsk regime, the Trump administration has facilitated talks with Minsk and helped secure the release of some political prisoners in 2025.
The Kremlin said on Monday, Jan. 19, that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was also invited to join Trump’s peace council; Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin is currently reviewing the proposal and hopes to speak with US officials to clarify the details.
Trump has invited 60 world leaders to join. Kazakhstan has accepted, joining Hungary and Vietnam, which confirmed participation last weekend.
What’s the “Peace Council” about?
The council, unveiled by the White House last week, is designed as an international body to manage Gaza after a ceasefire.
It is chaired by US President Donald Trump and includes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
According to a draft charter obtained by Bloomberg, Trump would serve as the inaugural chairman and decide who is invited to join.
Each member state gets one vote on decisions, but all votes require the chairman’s approval. Membership terms last up to three years, except for countries that contribute at least $1 billion, which can secure permanent membership.
The council would officially form once three states ratified the charter.
The council’s role extends beyond overseeing a ceasefire. The charter describes the council as “an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.”
Critics warn Trump could be creating a rival to the United Nations, which he has long criticized.