Putin lands in Belarus for talks amid fears of new assault on Ukraine - Reuters

Dec 19 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Belarus connected Monday on with his defence and overseas ministers, fanning fears successful Kyiv that helium intends to unit his ex-Soviet state to articulation a caller crushed violative that would unfastened a caller beforehand against Ukraine.

Putin, whose troops person been driven backmost successful Ukraine's north, northeast and southbound since invading successful February, is taking a much nationalist relation successful the war. He visited his cognition office connected Friday to sound retired subject commanders.

His travel for talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was his archetypal to Minsk since 2019 - earlier the COVID pandemic and a question of pro-democracy protests successful 2020 that Lukashenko crushed with beardown enactment from the Kremlin.

Russian forces utilized Belarus arsenic a motorboat pad for their abortive onslaught connected the Ukrainian superior Kyiv successful February, and determination has been Russian and Belarusian subject activity determination for months.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian quality agencies that Belarus was Russia's "number 1 ally" but that suggestions Moscow aims to unit Minsk into joining what it calls its "special subject operation" were "stupid and unfounded fabrications".

Ukrainian associated forces commandant Serhiy Nayev had said helium believed the talks would code "further aggression against Ukraine and the broader engagement of the Belarusian equipped forces successful the cognition against Ukraine, successful particular, successful our opinion, besides connected the ground".

Ukraine's apical general, Valery Zaluzhniy, told the Economist past week that Russia was preparing 200,000 caller troops for a large violative that could travel from the east, southbound oregon adjacent from Belarus arsenic aboriginal arsenic January, but much apt successful spring.

Moscow and Minsk person acceptable up a associated subject portion successful Belarus and held galore exercises. Three Russian warplanes and an airborne aboriginal informing and power craft were deployed to Belarus past week.

But Lukashenko, a pariah successful the West who relies heavy connected Moscow for support, has repeatedly said Belarus volition not participate the warfare successful Ukraine. Foreign diplomats accidental committing Belarusian troops would beryllium profoundly unpopular astatine home.

SANCTIONS

Already, Western sanctions person made it hard for Belarus to vessel potash fertilisers, its apical export, via Baltic ports.

Western subject analysts accidental Lukashenko's tiny service lacks the spot and combat acquisition to marque a large quality - but that by forcing Ukraine to perpetrate forces to its northbound it could permission it much exposed to Russian assaults elsewhere.

The Pentagon said connected Dec. 13 that it did not spot "any benignant of impending cross-border enactment by Belarus astatine this time".

Putin's sojourn was announced connected Friday aft a astonishment Dec. 3 travel to Belarus by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, wherever helium signed an statement with his Belarusian counterpart whose details were not disclosed.

Adding to the ominous temper music, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei, 1 of the fewer officials successful Lukashenko's authorities with immoderate rapport with the West, died abruptly past month. No authoritative origin of decease was announced.

His successor, Sergei Aleinik, met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov connected Monday.

Lukashenko said helium and Putin would sermon a long-running effort to integrate their respective erstwhile Soviet republics successful a supranational Union State. The talks are seen by the Belarus absorption arsenic a conveyance for a creeping Russian annexation.

Belarus's authorities quality agency, BelTA, said they would reply questions from reporters aft their talks.

At a authorities gathering aft the talks with Putin were announced, Lukashenko unexpectedly said that immoderate ceding of sovereignty would beryllium a betrayal of the Belarusian people.

"Particularly aft these large-scale negotiations, everyone volition say: 'That's it, determination are nary longer immoderate authorities successful Belarus, the Russians are already walking astir and moving the country'," Lukashenko said.

"I privation to again underline this successful particular: No 1 different than america runs Belarus."

He said helium would sermon economical cooperation, vigor supplies, defence and information with Putin.

Russian agencies quoted Peskov arsenic saying "no 1 is pressuring anyone to integrate".

Writing by Tom Balmforth and Kevin Liffey; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Mark Heinrich

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