![Mikhail Metzel Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attend a meeting at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/af557ee2ce29442e8e1c07fb6d49c796/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attend a meeting at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
![Mikhail Metzel Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/a151ebfae3854ac8a947f070b491ec2f/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
![Valeriy Sharifulin Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Valeriy Sharifulin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/c3c5b9dc48ec4eb6bc21c935e5f9d616/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Valeriy Sharifulin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
![Valeriy Sharifulin From left: Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov attend a welcome ceremony prior to a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko outside the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Valeriy Sharifulin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/451933236d284e9e90c659a7bdc1f24c/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
From left: Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov attend a welcome ceremony prior to a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko outside the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Valeriy Sharifulin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
![Dmitriy Azarov Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko shake hands during a welcome ceremony at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Dmitriy Azarov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/dcc5d006d1b943f6b18ea4095875cb68/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko shake hands during a welcome ceremony at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Dmitriy Azarov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
![Mikhail Metzel Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko walk after their talks at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/0785c5c3d0494c42bdffd8d280ddaec5/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko walk after their talks at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
![Valeriy Sharifulin Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko shake hands during a welcome ceremony at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Valeriy Sharifulin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/07244ba741af49f1a9091669cc1cba88/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko shake hands during a welcome ceremony at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Valeriy Sharifulin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
![Valeriy Sharifulin Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov attends a welcome ceremony prior to a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko outside the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Valeriy Sharifulin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/730c7c0e3257464bab01016f90db980d/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov attends a welcome ceremony prior to a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko outside the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Valeriy Sharifulin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)