Lavrov’s Minsk Visit Highlights Russia–Belarus Coordination

Minsk — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov paid a working visit to Belarus on June 14 and 15, during which he met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and held talks with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov.

According to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, Lavrov also laid wreaths at the Monument of Victory in Minsk to mark the 85th anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. The occasion was presented as a reflection of the shared historical memory of Russia and Belarus, their wartime sacrifices and their continued commitment to preserving the legacy of the fight against fascism.

During his meeting with President Lukashenko, Lavrov discussed current issues of bilateral cooperation and diplomatic support for advancing integration within the Russia–Belarus Union State. Both sides highly assessed the level of foreign policy coordination between Russia and Belarus and their allied interaction on the international stage.

Lavrov and Foreign Minister Ryzhenkov held detailed talks in both restricted and extended formats. Their discussions focused on practical aspects of cooperation between the two foreign ministries, upcoming events, bilateral contacts and coordination on international issues.

The two ministers also discussed the drafting of a coordinated foreign policy programme for the member states of the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State for the next three-year period. The programme is expected to cover 2027 to 2029.

The talks also addressed plans to hold the Fourth Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security in Belarus in the fourth quarter of 2026. Preparations for the annual joint meeting of the Boards of the Foreign Ministry of Russia and the Foreign Ministry of Belarus were also discussed.

Lavrov and Ryzhenkov exchanged views on current global and regional issues. The two sides noted that their positions were identical or close on many matters. They reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination within integration mechanisms, international organisations, and in relations with third countries and regional associations.

Russia and Belarus also reviewed the implementation of joint initiatives. Special attention was given to efforts to counter sanctions and what Moscow and Minsk describe as the legal aggression of the “collective West,” as well as to the formation of a new architecture of equal and indivisible security in Eurasia.

Moscow and Minsk signalled their intention to jointly resist Western pressure and expand cooperation in support of a multipolar world order. Both sides presented the Union State not only as a bilateral integration project but also as an important foundation for broader Eurasian coordination.

Lavrov’s visit is being viewed as an effort to further strengthen Russia–Belarus relations, institutionalise foreign policy coordination and advance a shared vision for Eurasian security. Against the backdrop of the Ukraine crisis, Western sanctions, NATO activity and debates over a new balance of power in Eurasia, the Minsk talks carry clear strategic significance.