Putin and Lukashenko to Hold Critical Talks as Ukraine War Tensions Mount
Key Developments in Russia-Belarus-Ukraine Relations
Upcoming Meeting Between Putin and Lukashenko
MOSCOW, June 26 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will meet later on Friday, their administrations said, for talks expected to focus on the war in Ukraine.
Mounting Tensions and Diplomatic Maneuvering
Ukraine's Concerns and Accusations
The meeting follows mounting tension between Belarus and Ukraine, whose president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, says he believes Putin is trying to get Lukashenko to step up his support for Russia in the conflict.
Belarus and Russia's Response
Moscow and Minsk deny that, and Belarus says it is Ukraine and the West that are fuelling tensions. Lukashenko said on Thursday he had met representatives of Zelenskiy and warned them not to try to drag his country into war.
Background of Russia-Belarus Alliance
Frequent Meetings and Military Cooperation
Putin and Lukashenko are close allies and meet frequently. The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of threatening the sovereignty of Belarus after Zelenskiy last Friday gave Minsk a week to remove signal relay stations he said were being used to help guide Russian attacks.
Planned Discussion Points
The Kremlin said on Monday that Putin and Lukashenko were expected to discuss Zelenskiy's remarks "in the foreseeable future".
Recent Developments and Strategic Implications
Relay Stations Issue
On Wednesday, Zelenskiy said the relay stations had stopped working, although there was no independent confirmation of this.
Belarus's Role in the Ukraine Conflict
Military Support and Nuclear Deployment
While Lukashenko has not sent Belarusian troops to fight alongside Russia, he let Putin use Belarus as a launchpad to attack Ukraine in February 2022 and later agreed to let Russia station tactical nuclear missiles on Belarusian territory.
(Reporting by Reuters, Writing by Mark Trevelyan Editing by Andrew Osborn )
