Putin arrives in Belarus for two-day visit with key ally

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Belarus on Thursday for a two-day visit as part of several foreign tours to kick off his fifth term in office.

The visit underscores close ties with a neighbouring ally that has been instrumental in Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.

Mr Putin travelled to China earlier this month, and is expected in Uzbekistan on Sunday. Earlier on Thursday, the Russian president hosted Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in the Kremlin.

In Belarus, Mr Putin is to hold talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko. Mr Lukashenko greeted him on the tarmac, and then the two sat down for a “short conversation” at the airport, the Kremlin reported.

Mr Lukashenko promised to discuss “security issues at the forefront, and tomorrow we will discuss economic issues together with our colleagues from the governments.”

The Belarusian leader on Thursday appointed a new chief of the country’s military general staff in a move that analysts say is aimed at showing the Kremlin the utmost loyalty of its neighbour and ally.

Russia used Belarus, which depends on Russian loans and cheap energy, as a staging ground in the war in Ukraine, deploying some of its troops there from Belarusian territory. In 2023, Russia also moved some of its tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus.

Major General Pavel Muraveyka, who was appointed as chief of Belarus’ General Staff and as first deputy defence minister, is known for publicly threatening neighbouring Nato members Poland and Lithuania.