Lukashenko & Putin meet for first time since Wagner revolt; discuss group's ambitions

Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday, July 23, for the first time since Belarus brokered a peace deal between Moscow and the Russian mercenary group Wagner. According to the Belarusian news outlet, BelTA News, the meeting between the two leaders took place in St. Petersberg, where Putin hosted his longtime ally. As per the reports, the two leaders not only discussed Wagner’s new ambitions but also remarked how Ukraine’s counteroffensive has “failed”. The meeting commenced after the heads of the states arrived at the famous Konstantinovsky Palace.

“The agenda of the negotiations has been set. There are many issues to be discussed. Traditionally, this is a wide range of the most important and basic topics for Belarus-Russia bilateral relations: security, international agenda, economic cooperation, the Union State programs, joint effort to counter the illegitimate pressure and much more,” Lukashenko said in press service. Meanwhile, in the meeting, Putin proclaimed that Ukraine’s counteroffensive has “failed”. “There is no counteroffensive,” BelTA quoted Lukashenko. “It exists, but it has failed,” Putin replied. Infamously known as the last dictator of Europe, Lukashenko lauded the success of the Russian army. 

"We can estimate how many soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine died considering the number of destroyed hardware. I know this because I served as an officer in the armoured army back in the day,” The Belarusian leader remarked. The Russian President made it clear that the plans to further ties between Russia and Belarus are being implemented. He insisted that the two nations are in a “better place than expected”.

Lukashenko sheds light on Wagner’s plans

According to BelTA news, the Belarusian leader also conveyed the ambitions of Wagner to the Russian President. Lukashenko told his Russian counterpart that Wagner is eager “to see the sights of” Warsaw and Rezesow. "Maybe I shouldn't say it but I will still do. PMC Wagner is insisting on going westward. They ask to go westward: ‘Please let us do it!' I say: ‘Why do you want to go westward?' Well, and on the quiet... After all, we control what is happening. ‘Well, we will go see the sights of Warsaw and Rzeszow," the leader of the Eastern European nation asserted. 

"They hold a grudge against Rzeszow. When they fought at Artyomovsk, they knew where the military hardware came from. They have this grudge inside them against Rzeszow. Of course, I keep them in the centre of Belarus, as agreed. I would not like to redeploy them there. Because they're angry. We must give them credit, they know what is happening around the Union State," he added. Last month, the Russian private mercenary group organised a rebellion in Russia and attacked the defence headquarters of Russian cities. After a brief turmoil, it was Belarus which brokered the deal between two warring nations. As a part of the deal, militants from the Wagner group went to Belarus and are reportedly providing military training to the country’s army.