The Belarusian leader visits Beijing days after China submitted a proposal for a truce between Russia and Ukraine, and hours after a Russian reconnaissance plane was sabotaged at a Belarusian air base. On the ground, Kiev says the invading forces are increasing the intensity of attacks and trying to advance in five directions.
Alexander Lukashenko, the autocrat who has been in power for nearly three decades, is visiting China, where he will be welcomed by Xi Jinping, the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong. The former is the main ally of Russian Vladimir Putin and has collaborated with Moscow by allowing attacks to unfold from its territory – although it has so far avoided involving its military. The second said days before last year’s invasion that the partnership between China and Russia “has no limits” and a few days ago senior diplomat Wang Yi again praised Sino-Russian relations: “They are of a mature character, they are solid and will withstand any test in a changing international situation”.
By welcoming the man who is formally the leader of the State Union of Russia and Belarus, is Beijing giving a more signal of support to Moscow or, on the contrary, offering Lukashenko other options to a country targeted by Western sanctions?
Read more in Diário de Notícias
