Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko were due to hold talks on Friday, with the war in Ukraine expected to dominate their discussions amid growing tensions between Belarus and neighbouring Ukraine.
The meeting comes after a series of sharp exchanges between Minsk and Kyiv over Belarus' role in the conflict and allegations that its territory is being used to support Russian military operations.
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🇷🇺🇧🇾The meeting between #Putin and #Lukashenko has begun at the #Valdai residence.
— Mahalaxmi Ramanathan (@MahalaxmiRaman) June 26, 2026
📍The talks will be held behind closed doors. The key focus will be on the international agenda and the situation in the region.#Russia 🇷🇺 #Belarus 🇧🇾 pic.twitter.com/xAfmemlCK4
Beneath the cordial handshakes
The talks follow accusations by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Putin is seeking to persuade Lukashenko to deepen Belarus' involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine.
Moscow and Minsk have rejected those claims. Belarusian officials have instead accused Ukraine and Western countries of fuelling tensions along the border.
Lukashenko said on Thursday that he had met representatives of Zelenskiy and warned them against trying to draw Belarus into the conflict. "I told them not to try to drag Belarus into the war," Lukashenko said, according to Belarusian authorities.
Lukashenko Arrives in Russia
— RussiaNews 🇷🇺 (@mog_russEN) June 26, 2026
The meeting between the presidents of Belarus and Russia has begun, with the heads of state conversing face-to-face at Putin's residence in Valdai. pic.twitter.com/DCIHRn4jVT
A border dispute with larger echoes
The latest diplomatic friction intensified after Zelenskiy last week gave Belarus a one-week deadline to dismantle signal relay stations that Kyiv says were being used to assist Russian attacks on Ukraine.
The Kremlin responded by accusing Ukraine of threatening the sovereignty of Belarus, describing the ultimatum as interference in the affairs of one of Russia's closest allies.
On Wednesday, Zelenskiy said the relay stations had stopped functioning, though there has been no independent confirmation of that claim.
The long shadow of a steadfast partnership
Putin and Lukashenko have maintained close political and military ties throughout the more than four-year war in Ukraine. Although Belarus has not deployed its own troops to fight alongside Russian forces, it allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory as a staging ground for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Minsk later agreed to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons on its territory, further strengthening military cooperation between the two allies.
The Kremlin had earlier indicated that Putin and Lukashenko would discuss Zelenskiy's remarks "in the foreseeable future", making Friday's meeting the first opportunity for the two leaders to coordinate their response as tensions between Belarus and Ukraine continue to mount.
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FAQs
Q1: Why are Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko meeting now?
Ans: They are meeting as tensions between Belarus and Ukraine rise, with the war in Ukraine expected to be the main focus of their talks.
Q2: Why is Belarus important in the Ukraine war?
Ans: Belarus has allowed Russia to use its territory for military operations but has not officially deployed its own troops to fight in Ukraine.
