Belarus leader Lukashenko visits Putin and Xi amid Ukraine tensions

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has made back-to-back visits to Russia and China, meeting Vladimir Putin at his Valdai residence and Xi Jinping in Beijing. The unannounced trip to Russia sparked speculation about potential Belarusian involvement in the Ukraine war. In Beijing, Xi stated that China supports Belarus's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that the two countries must maintain strategic dialogue. Lukashenko told Xi that being in China was "like coming home." The visits come as Ukraine believes Russia wants to pressure Belarus into more direct involvement in the conflict, which Lukashenko has sought to avoid despite allowing Russian forces to use Belarusian territory for the 2022 invasion.