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Belarus’s authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenko has said he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday (February 18th) to discuss “further activities” with the joint forces as the two countries conduct military exercises. together.
Speaking during a visit to the military zone, Asipovitski, while the exercises were taking place on February 17, Lukashenka did not indicate whether Russian troops would begin to leave after these activities, but stressed that “there is no need to establish a Russian military base in “Belarus.”
“This will be decided tomorrow,” Lukashenko said, referring to a meeting with Putin.
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on February 17 that the exercises would end on schedule – on February 20 – but did not comment on whether Russian forces would leave immediately.
The participation of over 30,000 troops in these exercises has worried the West about the Kremlin’s real intentions for troop gatherings.
US intelligence estimates that some 130,000 troops and military equipment are located in areas bordering Ukraine.
Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimer Makey said on February 16 that Russian troops would withdraw completely from Belarus after the end of the exercise.
But Lukashenko has said he will hold talks with Putin to decide “when, under what conditions and at what time” they will leave.
Russia has insisted it has no plans to invade, but at the same time seeks guarantees on security issues in Europe, including that NATO not expand to countries like Ukraine, or another former Soviet republic, Georgia.
Moscow’s claims to the West include:
NATO to end military activity in Eastern Europe and withdraw troops from Poland and the Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
The North Atlantic Alliance should not position missiles in countries near or on the border with Russia
The United States and NATO have responded by saying that Ukraine has the right to choose its allies, but have offered Russia the opportunity to negotiate on missiles and other issues.
If Russia invades Ukraine, this would not be the first time.
Russia annexed the Ukrainian Peninsula of Crimea in 2014.
The country also supports rebels in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, in which some 14,000 people have died.
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