Belarus leader says ‘situation escalating’ ahead of rare Putin visit - The Hill

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is striking a defiant code up of a uncommon gathering this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid increasing concerns that Belarus could beryllium pulled into Russia’s warfare successful Ukraine.

Lukashenko, emphasizing his country’s sovereignty astatine a Friday gathering successful Minsk connected Russia-Belarus cooperation, said the concern was “escalating” arsenic helium prepares to speech with Putin connected Monday.

The Belarusian person refuted the “whispering” successful his state that “Russians are already walking and moving the country.”

“I would similar to stress this diagnostic erstwhile again: nary one, but us, governs Belarus,” Lukashenko said, according to remarks published by the statesmanlike property service. “We indispensable ever proceed from the information that we are a sovereign authorities and independent.”

Putin volition question to Belarus and conscionable with Lukashenko connected Monday successful his archetypal authorities sojourn to the state successful 3 years.

The 2 leaders are expected to sermon “key aspects” of their partnership, arsenic good arsenic different planetary and determination issues, according to a statement from the Kremlin.

Lukashenko past week said the main taxable betwixt him and Putin would beryllium economics, but added they volition besides sermon defence and information successful the region, the Belarusian statesmanlike property work quoted him arsenic saying.

Belarus served arsenic a staging crushed for Russia aboriginal successful the warfare against Ukraine, erstwhile Putin mobilized troops and arms that helium sent into Ukraine successful precocious February.

In October, Belarus besides deployed thousands of troops with Russia to behaviour associated subject drills, renewing fears that Putin’s state would perpetrate forces to the war.

But Lukashenko has resisted joining the warfare directly, adjacent arsenic Ukrainian officials pass Russia is ramping up efforts to enactment its neighbour into the conflict.

In the gathering connected Friday successful Minsk, Lukashenko defended his predominant meetings with Putin and Russian leaders, saying it was captious to coordinate and respond to “tactical issues” specified arsenic economical sanctions from the west.

Lukashenko besides emphasized beardown ties with Russia and stressed that Belarus would “never beryllium enemies” with the country.

“This is the authorities closest to us, the peoples closest to us,” helium said. “I deliberation that arsenic agelong arsenic we are successful power, we volition adhere to this trend. If it were otherwise, it would beryllium similar successful Ukraine.”