Belarus and Russia leaders meet to discuss closer integration and alliance

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko traveled to Moscow for a meeting of the Union State's Supreme State Council with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The two leaders held a private conversation before the official session.

Lukashenko stated that Belarus and Russia must strengthen their alliance and that no force could separate the two countries. He described a new stage of integration across all fields and reviewed 30 years of their union's development. Putin called the integration mutually advantageous.

The leaders signed seven documents following the council meeting. Lukashenko had discussed the upcoming summit with Putin in a prior phone call.