Lukashenko rolls out the red carpet to receive Putin in Minsk

Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko received Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Minsk airport on the red carpet with the traditional welcoming gift of bread and salt.
Pictures from the pro-government Belarusian Telegram channel Pool One (Pul Pervogo) showed the welcome at the airport on Monday.
The two former Soviet republics are close allies, with Lukashenko's government completely dependent on Moscow politically, economically and militarily following sanctions imposed by the West.
While contacts between the two leaders are frequent, this is Putin's first visit to Belarus in three years.
Before the visit, Lukashenko had announced that it would primarily be about deepening economic cooperation. From Moscow's side, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected speculation that Russia would press its western neighbour to go to war against Ukraine.