Russia’s state-run news service has said that President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko have discussed economic cooperation and security. This comes amid reports that Moscow is pressuring Belarus to step up cooperation in its invasion of Ukraine.
Tass news agency reported that Putin welcomed his Belarusian counterpart to his official residence in the northwestern region of Novgorod on Friday and Saturday.
The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday quoted Russian and European officials as saying that Moscow is putting pressure on Belarus in hopes of using it to expand its operations against Ukraine.
The Kremlin denies the reporting. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recently expressed concern over Belarus.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy wrote on social media that along the Belarusian border with his country, the construction of storage bases for ammunition, fuel and lubricants is nearing completion. He said, “these facilities have no purpose other than a military one.”
Belarusian state-run media reported on Thursday that Lukashenko noted that Belarus will stand alongside Russia, but added it does not want to fight Ukrainians.