- Putin and Lukashenko held talks focused on Ukraine and regional security
- The meeting comes amid rising tensions between Belarus and Ukraine
- Both leaders reaffirmed close cooperation despite the ongoing conflict
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Friday for talks that were widely expected to focus on the ongoing war in Ukraine and rising regional tensions.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the meeting took place at Putin’s Valdai residence in northwestern Russia, where both leaders discussed trade, economic cooperation, joint development projects and regional security issues.
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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no documents would be signed and no joint press briefing was scheduled after the talks.
The meeting comes amid heightened friction between Belarus and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Putin of attempting to persuade Lukashenko to increase Belarus’ involvement in Russia’s military campaign.
However, Moscow and Minsk have rejected those claims, insisting that Ukraine and its Western allies are responsible for escalating tensions in the region.
Speaking on Thursday, Lukashenko revealed that he recently met representatives of the Ukrainian government and warned them against taking actions that could draw Belarus into the conflict.
The Kremlin has also accused Ukraine of threatening Belarus’ sovereignty after Zelensky gave Minsk a one-week deadline to dismantle signal relay stations that Kyiv claimed were being used to assist Russian military operations.
Earlier this week, the Kremlin confirmed that Putin and Lukashenko intended to discuss Zelensky’s allegations during their latest meeting.
On Wednesday, Zelensky said the relay stations had stopped operating, although there has been no independent verification of the claim.
Putin and Lukashenko remain close political allies and hold regular meetings. Although Belarus has not officially deployed its troops to fight alongside Russian forces, Lukashenko allowed Russian troops to use Belarusian territory as a launch point for the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Belarus also later agreed to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons on its territory, further strengthening military ties between the two countries.
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