Belarus’ Lukashenko courts Moscow and Beijing as Ukraine tensions simmer

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has visited Russia and then China following a series of public exchanges with Ukraine, meeting President Xi Jinping in Beijing and Russian President Vladimir Putin at his Valdai residence.

Lukashenko told Xi that being in China was for him “like coming home”, Belarusian journalists accompanying the delegation reported on Monday.

Xi said China supported Belarus in preserving its state sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, according to statements from the Chinese side.

China and Belarus must maintain their strategic dialogue and continue to develop bilateral relations at a high level, Xi said.

Lukashenko had previously spent two days in talks with Putin at the Russian president’s residence in Valdai, between Moscow and St Petersburg.

The visit, which was initially not publicly announced, was accompanied by widespread speculation given the recent history of tensions with Kyiv.

Ukraine’s leadership believes Russia wants to pressure its ally Belarus into more direct involvement in the war – something Lukashenko is seeking to avoid, even though he allowed Russian forces to use Belarusian territory for the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.