Putin receives Belarusian leaders for talks on closer relations

Moscow (Associated Press)-Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted the authoritarian leader of Belarus on Tuesday, and he is increasingly dependent on Moscow for support amid growing tensions with the West.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko thanked Putin for his “very serious support from Russia” and promised that the country will repay the loan in time.

Putin in turn praised Belarus as a “reliable and stable partner” during the talks in St. Petersburg.

As Belarus transferred a passenger plane to arrest an opposition journalist on May 23, the EU imposed severe sanctions on some of its major exports, which dealt a new blow to the Belarusian economy suffering from the coronavirus pandemic.

Lukashenko condemned these restrictions and announced that Belarus would cease cooperation with the European Union in preventing illegal immigration in retaliation for severe economic sanctions.

Lithuania, an EU member state that provides asylum to Belarusian opposition figures, accused the Belarusian authorities of encouraging the flow of migrants from Iraq, other Middle Eastern countries and Africa. EU border agencies have pledged to strengthen support for Lithuania to help curb the flow of immigration.

Belarus was shocked by months of protests, which was triggered by Lukashenko’s re-election for the sixth term in the August 2020 vote, which was widely regarded as rigged.

The authorities carried out a massive crackdown on the demonstrations. More than 35,000 people were arrested and thousands were beaten by the police. The opposition leader was either sentenced to prison or forced to leave the country.