Belarus leader visits Putin to secure support amid protests Belarus’ authoritarian president is visiting Russia in a bid to secure more loans and political support as demonstrations against the extension of his 26-year rule enter their sixth weekMOSCOW -- Belarus' authoritarian president visited Russia on Monday in a bid to secure more loans and political support, as demonstrations against the extension of his 26-year rule entered their sixth week. Putin said Russia would provide a $1.5 billion loan to Belarus and fulfill all its obligations under a union treaty between the two neighbors. As he sat across the table from Putin, Lukashenko pointed at NATO's drills near Belarus' borders and said the two countries must strengthen their defense ties. Putin emphasized that Russian paratroopers who were sent to Belarus for joint drills will leave the country after the exercise. But with the U.S. and the EU criticizing the election and readying a package of sanctions against Belarus, Lukashenko now has to rely squarely on Russia's support.

Source: ABC News September 14, 2020 09:19 UTC