Talks between Lukašenka and Putin annnounced in Moscow on February 18

February 16, BPN. Talks between Aliaksandr Lukašenka and Vladimir Putin will take place on February 18 in Moscow. This is reported by the press service of Lukašenka.

Putin and Lukašenka will discuss “the development of trade and economic cooperation, current challenges to security in the region, joint actions to ensure national interests of the two countries, and international issues.”

At the meeting with the former speaker of the Ukrainian parliament Oleksandr Moroz in Minsk on February 14, Lukašenka said that he intended to meet with Putin soon to discuss a timeline for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Belarus that are participating in the Union Resolve 2022 exercise.

“Today they are shouting: ‘When are you going to withdraw your troops?’ Look, this is our business with Putin. We will meet soon and decide on the date, timeframe, and schedule for the withdrawal of the armed forces of the Russian Federation. This is our business. <…> We will withdraw [Russian troops from Belarus] when we decide with the president of Russia to do so and when the exercises here are over. We will make the decision, this is our territory,” he said.

Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makiej said at a press conference on February 16 that “not a single soldier, not a single unit of military equipment will remain in Belarus after the exercises.”