Published 18:49 IST, August 30th 2020
Russia's Putin to meet Belarusian counterpart in Moscow in coming weeks
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko have agreed to meet in Moscow, the Kremlin revealed on August 30.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko have agreed to meet in Moscow, the Kremlin revealed on August 30. Lukashenko, who has been surrounded by controversies ever since Presidential elections took place in Belarus, had previously asked for Putin’s support to control the unrest in his nation. Complying to his request Putin had, on August 26, vowed military support to the embattled leader.
"It was agreed to hold a meeting in Moscow in coming weeks,” the Kremlin said in a statement. According to international media reports, the two leaders haven't met since the anti-government protests began earlier this month. However, in a phone call made on August 30, the two leaders agreed on strengthing “bilateral ties” and expanding cooperation in various fields.
Unrest in Belarus
Lukashenko on August 10 secured a record sixth term as the country's president after the authorities announced the preliminary results in which the 65-year-old former Soviet Army member allegedly secured over 80 percent of the total votes polled. Opposition leaders, including the main challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, denounced the result, calling it a rigged election.
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya fled the country for Lithuania on August 11, fearing that she or her family could be harmed. The 37-year-old leader has been issuing video statements from Lithuania, demanding Belarusian authorities to accept their wrongdoings and to join hands with the opposition in order to evade punishment in the future. The European Union and the United States have also expressed concerns over the recent developments in Belarus and have called on Lukashenko to respect the rights of the Belarusian people.
Meanwhile, Putin on August 27 reportedly vowed military support for embattled Belarusian leader Lukashenko. While Putin’s remarks were the strongest signal that Russia is prepared to use force if needed in Belarus, it was also noted that the military won’t be deployed unless the unrest there spun out of control.
Updated 18:48 IST, August 30th 2020