Belarusian president seeks Putin’s help

Russia offered to loan the embattled Belarusian government $1.5 billion and promised to honor commitments to cooperate on economics, defense, and politics. President Alexander Lukashenko met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday in Sochi, Russia, to strengthen ties in the face of growing political unrest in Belarus and economic pressure from the European Union and United States.

Why does Lukashenko need Putin? International leaders have backed up Belarusian protesters’ accusations that the election extending Lukashenko’s 26-year rule was neither free nor fair. An estimated 150,000 demonstrators pushing for Lukashenko to resign turned out in the capital of Minsk on Sunday. The European Union and United States are preparing economic sanctions against Belarus. Despite a sometimes tense relationship, Russia supports Belarus and views it as a buffer against NATO countries in Europe.

Dig deeper: Read Jenny Lind Schmitt’s interviews with Belarusian Christians.