Alexander Lukashenko

Here are the most important events of the last hours related to the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine's security service announced it has arrested Putin's top pro-Russian politician and personal friend, Viktor Medvedchuk. The leader of the opposition party was under house arrest on suspicion of treason but escaped shortly after the Russian invasion.

The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko considers Bulgaria an unfriendly state.

Today, the government in Minsk approved a list of countries it considers "unfriendly".

Belarusian troops crossed the Ukrainian border in the Chernihiv region.

This was confirmed by the Parliament of Ukraine.

‼️На Чернігівщину зайшли білоруські війська. Інформацію Суспільному підтвердив речник регіонального управління сил тероборони «Північ» Віталій Кирилов. Більше деталей згодом.

— Верховна Рада України (@verkhovna_rada) March 1, 2022

Negotiations, the outcome of which is expected by the whole world, have been going on for more than three hours.
A solution for Ukraine is possible only if Russia's interest is taken into account, Putin told Macron.
Putin presented Macron with the conditions for resolving the situation in Ukraine.
- Demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine.

Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine started today in the Gomel region, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed.
The delegations were welcomed by Vladimir Makei, head of the administration of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
"You can feel completely safe. It is our sacred duty!" Makei said, Ukrainian paper Justice reports.

Ljubljana – President Borut Pahor has welcomed the announcement by Kyiv that Ukraine and Russia will hold talks at Ukraine’s border with Belarus, without preconditions. “We wish that step by step, they resolve the dispute in a peaceful manner,” he wrote on Twitter.

The Ukrainian president announced the result of his conversation with Alexander Lukashenko – “The meeting is unconditional”

The evacuation of civilians continues in Donetsk and Luhansk in anticipation of an attack by Ukrainian forces. On the other hand, Kiev claims that it does not intend to attack Donbass. Ukraine claims that Russia is preparing for an invasion, which has been announced for days by the President of the United States and NATO leaders.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said today that Minsk had absolutely no interest in war and that conflict could only erupt if Belarus or its close ally Russia were directly attacked, Reuters reported.

The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday to choose "a peaceful path" as the top U.S. diplomat paid a solidarity visit to Ukraine amid invasion fears.

"I strongly, strongly hope that we can keep this on a diplomatic and peaceful path, but ultimately, that's going to be President Putin's decision," Blinken said at the U.S. embassy.