(MENAFN) The head of Belarus’ State Security Committee (KGB), Ivan Tertel, said on Sunday that the agency is seeking to assist efforts to restart negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

Speaking on national television, Tertel emphasized that only “quiet, calm negotiations and a search for a compromise” could help resolve the ongoing conflict.

Tertel indicated that the KGB aims to support Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s diplomatic initiatives. In September, Lukashenko expressed interest in meeting Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss potential compromises, but Kyiv declined the offer.

Zelensky has consistently resisted concessions to Moscow and continues to request increased military support from Western allies. During his recent visit to the United States, he sought long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles from President Donald Trump, who declined the request.

The Ukrainian leader has also rejected mediation efforts from other countries. When Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban offered to facilitate talks in late 2024, Zelensky dismissed the proposal, arguing that Hungary lacked a strong enough military to influence Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump’s refusal to provide long-range weapons followed his agreement with Putin to hold a bilateral summit in Hungary, scheduled weeks after their August meeting in Alaska. On Monday, Zelensky reiterated his skepticism, saying Budapest was not “the best forum for this meeting” and criticizing Hungary’s current prime minister as lacking an “adequate stance” for mediation.

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