President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus will seek the backing of Russia’s Vladimir Putin at a crucial meeting after a fifth consecutive weekend of huge protests demanding that he step down
MOSCOW - President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus will seek the backing of Russia’s Vladimir Putin at a crucial meeting on Monday after a fifth consecutive weekend of huge protests demanding that he step down.Lukashenko, facing the gravest crisis of his 26 years in power, will travel to Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi with his fate in Putin’s hands.
The Belarusian opposition accuses Lukashenko of rigging last month’s presidential election, which he says he won fairly with 80% of the vote. Since then, thousands of people have been arrested and nearly all the opposition’s key leaders have been detained, deported or forced to flee the country. Putin’s actions so far suggest he has no desire to see the leader of a neighbouring ex-Soviet country toppled by pressure from the streets - even if Lukashenko has often proved a prickly and difficult ally.
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