Sputnik is live as Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko hold talks in Belarus’ capital of Minsk.
Putin announced that he plans to discuss joint security issues as well as the participation of Belarus in the upcoming exercises on the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons.
This is the second foreign trip by the Russian head of the state since taking office for a new term on May 7. Last week, Putin paid a state visit to China.
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