Lukashenko claims Meloni unfit to negotiate with Moscow due to her gender
Belarusian strongman Aleksandr Lukashenko has sparked a diplomatic firestorm by declaring in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is unfit to negotiate with Moscow because she is a woman. Lukashenko told Macron on May 29 that Meloni "cannot negotiate with Moscow" due to her gender and instead proposed Macron himself as Europe’s lead interlocutor, according to Romanian and Romanian-language outlets . The Belarusian leader also invited a French envoy to Minsk and urged Macron to reopen direct talks with Russia.
The remarks come as Ukrainian tennis player Oleksandra Oliynykova reignites the debate over Russian athletes competing in international sports. After losing 7-5, 6-1 to Russian opponent Diana Shnaider at the French Open on May 30, Oliynykova tearfully demanded sanctions against Shnaider for participating in a Gazprom-funded exhibition in Russia. "She doesn’t want to comment on the war, but I showed you the proof," Oliynykova said, accusing tennis governing bodies of hypocrisy for failing to act . The match, which saw no handshake between the players, has become a flashpoint in the broader geopolitical tensions surrounding the war in Ukraine.
Lukashenko’s comments reflect his long-standing efforts to position Belarus as a mediator between Russia and the West, despite his regime’s repression of domestic opposition. Meanwhile, Oliynykova’s stance underscores the growing pressure on sports federations to address the ethical implications of Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under neutral flags. The French Open incident has drawn global attention, with outlets describing Oliynykova’s post-match speech as "chilling" and a call to action against sportswashing .
Lukashenko claims Meloni unfit to negotiate with Moscow due to her gender
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Oliynykova Renews Debate Over Russian Athletes as Russian Players Controversy Intensifies Paris, France, 2026 PARIS, France – May 30 – Brussels Morning Newspaper — Russian players controversy continues to dominate discussions within professional tennis after Ukrainian player Oleksandra Oliynykova publicly challenged Russian competitors over issues connected to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Her remarks have once again placed international sports at the center of a wider geopolitical conversation, highlighting the […]
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