Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko Meet Following Deal with Wagner Fighters
St Petersburg – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko held a meeting, marking their first encounter since Belarus helped broker a deal to end a mutiny by Wagner fighters. This meeting comes amidst escalating tensions between Belarus and its western neighbor, Poland.
During their meeting, Lukashenko made an implausible claim in front of the TV cameras. He stated that the Wagner fighters, who had caused unrest, were now “asking to go to the West.” Lukashenko even went further to suggest that they expressed a desire to visit the Polish city of Rzeszow, which is located less than 100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
It appears that Lukashenko’s comment is a continuation of the escalating tensions between Belarus and Poland. As part of the mutiny deal, many of the Wagner fighters have been relocated to Belarus near the border with Poland, where they have been conducting joint exercises with the Belarusian army. This development has prompted Poland to move its tanks and troops closer to the border with Belarus.
Furthermore, in a show of support for Belarus, Putin has already stationed some nuclear weapons within its territory. Putin has made it clear that any attack on Belarus would be regarded as an attack on Russia.
The meeting between Putin and Lukashenko serves as an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss the ongoing situation in the region and potentially find a resolution to the growing tensions. The international community will be closely watching the outcomes of this meeting, as the instability in the region has the potential to escalate into a larger conflict.