Russian President Vladimir Putin bestowed a $1.5 billion loan on Belarus on Monday in a gesture of support for its leader Alexander Lukashenko, who flew to entreat his patron for help after five weeks of mass protests demanding his resignation.
A day after more than 100,000 protesters took to the streets of Minsk with chants of “You’re a rat”, Lukashenko met Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in urgent need of help to maintain his 26-year grip on power.
The Kremlin later said some of the new money would be used to refinance earlier loans. It also said the two presidents had agreed to boost cooperation in trade and had discussed energy supplies for Belarus during nearly four hours of talks. “We want Belarusians themselves, without prompting and pressure from outside, to sort out this situation in a calm manner and through dialogue and to find a common solution,” Putin said.
“This may prolong the death throes of Lukashenko but it cannot prevent the victory of the people,” she said. “Given that they are giving him money and actively cooperating with him, Moscow thinks he will remain in power, at least for now. The situation is stabilising gradually.”
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