Renaissance of an alliance: Putin offered Lukashenko financial and moral support

(Patria) – Russia has approved a loan to Belarus in the amount of 1.25 billion euros, announced the Russian president on Monday after a meeting with the re-elected president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, in the Russian city of Sochi.

The meeting between the two leaders is the first of its kind since Lukashenko declared an election victory on August 9, which triggered mass protests in the country. In addition to the opposition, the EU and the US also challenged his victory as rigged, and condemned the brutal suppression of peaceful citizen protests.

After failing to calm the protesters with a proposal for constitutional amendments, Lukashenko went to Russia for Putin's help and support, despite the traditionally lukewarm relations between the two leaders.

Putin once again congratulated Lukashenko on his victory, and praised his proposal for constitutional reforms, calling it 'logical, timely, and correct'.

The Russian president also reiterated his support for the vision of even closer political, military, and economic ties between the two countries.

"We consider Belarus our closest ally, and as I have told you many times in our phone calls, we will fulfill all our obligations," Putin told Lukashenko, adding that "in this complicated period, Moscow will grant Minsk a state loan of 1.25 billion euros.".

Putin also announced the continuation of cooperation in the field of defense; joint military exercises planned for last year began last week.

Before the elections, Russia and Belarus often quarreled, mainly due to Lukashenko's accusations that Russia resented Belarus's independence and was taking steps that violated its sovereignty.

However, after the reaction of the US and the EU to the election results, Lukashenko realized that he had Putin as his only ally and that he should align with him.

The leading opposition figure in Belarus, Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to Lithuania under pressure from the Belarusian authorities, warned Putin that any agreements with Lukashenko would have no validity in a new opposition government.

"I am sorry that you decided to dialogue with a usurper instead of the people of Belarus," Tsikhanouskaya said on Monday, emphasizing that "any agreements signed with Lukashenko, who lacks legitimacy, will be revoked by the new government.".

At the same time, mass protests in Belarus have entered their second month; on Sunday, at least 150,000 people marched through the capital, demanding his resignation. On the same day, 774 people were arrested across the country for participating in unauthorized protests.

EU Foreign Ministers made a decision to sanction high-ranking Belarusian officials involved in rigging the elections and suppressing protests.