Lukashenko to Hold Talks With Putin in Russia on Saturday
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia on Saturday to discuss bilateral cooperation and security issues. Lukashenko arrived in Russia on Thursday and is also set to meet Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia on Saturday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to Interfax. Lukashenko had already arrived in Russia on Thursday.
According to Lukashenko's office, the talks will focus on "key areas of bilateral cooperation" along with "pressing regional and international issues," including security matters. Beyond his meeting with Putin, Lukashenko is scheduled to discuss trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Belarus with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Frequent contacts in recent days
On Tuesday, Lukashenko hosted Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov in Minsk, where the two sides reviewed the growth in bilateral trade recorded during the first half of this year.
Lukashenko's government remains heavily dependent on the Kremlin both economically and politically. Belarus currently hosts part of Russia's tactical nuclear arsenal, and its territory served as a launch point for Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While Minsk has so far stayed out of direct combat involvement, the two countries continue to strengthen their military and economic links.
Separately, on Monday Lukashenko issued a public message congratulating Ukrainians on their Independence Day, saying he was confident that Minsk and Kyiv would eventually restore cooperation despite ongoing geopolitical turmoil. On Tuesday, he ordered a surprise combat readiness inspection of the Belarusian armed forces.
