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Lukashenko’s mediating effort due to his long acquaintance with Prigozhin — Kremlin

The President of Belarus has known Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner Private Military Company, for about 20 years, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters

MOSCOW, June 25. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko volunteered his mediating services because he has been acquainted with Wagner Private Military Company (PMC) founder Yevgeny Prigozhin for about 20 years, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

"You will likely ask me why precisely President Lukashenko [became the mediator]? The thing is that Alexander Grigoryevich has known Prigozhin personally for a long time, about 20 years, and this was his personal initiative which was coordinated with President Putin," the Kremlin official said.

Putin’s press secretary stressed that June 24 was a "rather difficult day, literally filled with these tragic events." "You know that as a result, it was possible to resolve this situation without further losses, without further escalating the level of tensions," he emphasized.

Peskov said that on Saturday morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation and the Russian and Belarusian presidents held several conversations during the day.

He pointed out that Moscow had great esteem for Lukashenko’s mediating efforts in resolving the situation with the armed mutiny.

"The two presidents, indeed, agreed on President Lukashenko providing mediating efforts on settling the situation [with the Wagner PMC]. We hold this readiness in high esteem," the Kremlin official concluded.

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Dmitry Peskov Alexander Lukashenko

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