Putin on two-day state visit to Belarus

Moscow, May 23 (IANS/DPA) Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to travel to Belarus for a two-day state visit.Putin is scheduled to meet his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday evening for discussions on key international issues, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.The two countries are close allies and Minsk has provided support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, without participating directly in the conflict.Lukashenko last visited Moscow on May 9 for Russia’s Victory Day military parade. His country is heavily dependent on Russia for economic, political and diplomatic support.The trip is set to be Putin’s second journey abroad since his inauguration for a fifth term in office in early May after he visited China last week.Earlier on Thursday, Putin received Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in Moscow, a Kremlin statement said.–IANS/DPAint/as/sha