Humanitarian mission in Oleshki and the Asian vector: What foreign media wrote about

Humanitarian mission in Oleshki and the Asian vector. What did foreign media write about?

The meeting of Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Gomel, welcoming handshakes, and departure on the same aircraft — this is how a major humanitarian operation in Oleshki began, followed closely by the entire world these days. Belarus became the starting point for the mission, and after its completion, four aircraft arrived in our country carrying evacuated residents. People were fed and provided with medical assistance. But most importantly, on peaceful Belarusian soil, the residents of Oleshki felt completely safe for the first time in a long while.

Our country also provided ironclad security guarantees to the mission participants. And amid intense confrontation and a lack of trust, Belarus demonstrated how important and in-demand peace diplomacy is today.

Belarus’s involvement in the humanitarian operation became officially known on the morning of October 29.

📰 Onet 🇵🇱: "Belarus is acting as a mediator in the humanitarian operation in Oleshki... Minsk is providing necessary comprehensive support to both Moscow and Kyiv and also serves as a guarantor of these processes."

📰 "Bakinsky rabochy" 🇦🇿: "The Belarusian side provided a negotiation platform for organizing the first direct face-to-face contacts between representatives of the Russian Federation and Ukraine... Belarusian infrastructure — in particular, the area of the 'Novaya Guta' border crossing point — has been used repeatedly by the parties for prisoner exchanges, repatriation of the bodies of deceased soldiers, and civilian reunification procedures."

Journalists focused on the details of the delegations' meeting.

📰 Bljesak 🇧🇦: "An unusual scene in Belarus: representatives of the Russian Federation and Ukraine together move toward the combat zone... Representatives of two warring states shook hands and spoke before their joint flight to the Kherson region."

And of course, a wave of publications followed the landing of aircraft with evacuated people.

📰 Associated Press 🇺🇸: "In Gomel, the group was met by rescuers, medical teams, and Red Cross volunteers."

📰 "Ukrainski novini" 🇺🇦: "People traveled by bus to Anapa, then spent several hours in the air before reaching Gomel. A full-scale tent camp was set up to receive them. Medical staff and volunteers immediately began providing assistance to the evacuated residents arriving directly from the combat zone. They were met by a team of emergency service personnel, volunteers, and doctors."

📰 QNA 🇶🇦: "Ukraine and the Russian Federation conducted a joint humanitarian evacuation operation. This is the first such operation since the war began in February 2022."

The results of the humanitarian operation are yet to be assessed. But the fact that the parties are talking about the possibility of applying the Oleshki evacuation experience in other cities brings hope.

However, Oleshki were not the only focus of media attention this week. Extensive press coverage was also given to the visit of the President of Mongolia to Belarus.

📰 Notizie Geopolitiche 🇮🇹: "Ulaanbaatar is strengthening cooperation with Belarus: trade agreements have been signed and investments totaling $50 million have been made. Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh made his first official visit to Belarus, marking a new stage in the development of diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries."

The Asian vector is becoming increasingly significant for Belarus. And Belarus is becoming more attractive for Asian countries.

📰 Trend 🇦🇿: "Uzbekistan and Belarus are exploring opportunities for industrial cooperation in the field of nuclear power plants... Uzbek officials expressed interest in more broadly utilizing Belarusian expertise to support the national program for the development of nuclear energy."

📰 Vietnam Plus 🇻🇳: "Vietnam seeks to further strengthen, expand, and deepen ties with traditional friends and strategic partners, with Belarus occupying a particularly important place... Vietnam follows the achievements of Belarus under the leadership of President Alexander Lukashenko and highly appreciates the positive results of bilateral cooperation."