OP-ED

Jan Pieklo: Why Putin dare not abandon Belarus dictator Lukashenko

By Jan Pieklo.

Published June 24, 2021. Updated June 24 at 9:23 am

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko pose on a boat during a boat trip on the Black Sea on May 29, 2021, as the close allies met for a second day for informal talks amidst the outcry after Minsk diverted a European plane. (AFP)

Photo by AFP

The ongoing crisis in Belarus was barely mentioned during last week’s hotly anticipated summit meeting in Geneva between US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. While Belarus reportedly featured on the American leader’s agenda going into the talks, it seems the Russian side had no interest in discussing the issue.