Belarus Strongman Dangles Trump at Putin in Demand for Respect
- Lukashenko to meet Putin Friday amid oil, integration tensions
- Top U.S. diplomat offered help on oil in rare visit to Belarus
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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is wielding an unusual weapon in his struggle with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin to remain independent from Russia while securing oil supplies from his giant neighbor. He’s threatening to become friends with Donald Trump.
Michael Pompeo’s visit to the Belarusian capital Minsk last week, the first in 26 years by a U.S. secretary of state, caused a “scandal” in Russia, Lukashenko said during a regional visit Tuesday in comments posted on the presidential website. “If Trump comes tomorrow, what will they do then?” he said.