After Ukraine mediation, EU looks to embrace Lukashenko

MINSK/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's hosting of Ukraine peace talks may be having a side effect -- thawing relations between the European Union and a man the West calls "Europe's last dictator".

A meeting in Minsk on Friday with the foreign minister of neighbouring Latvia, travelling in his capacity as chair of the EU ministerial council, marked another step in what diplomats say is an accelerating process that could see some easing of sanctions on Lukashenko and even an invitation to a May summit.