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Akbar Novruz

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Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet his Belarusian colleague Alexander Lukashenko today, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti on Friday, AzerNEWS reports.

The agenda of the meeting has not been disclosed. On the other hand, it is expected that the two leaders will discuss the conflict in Ukraine, amid increasing tensions along the border between the war-torn country and Belarus.

Lukashenko previously brushed off Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's accusations that Minsk was preparing to enter the war, even though he stressed that his country was preparing for conflict "just in case."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously warned Belarus that the consequences will be "significant" if it chooses to join Russia in strikes against its southern neighbor.

In a video address to the nation, Zelensky repeated that Ukrainian intelligence has found evidence that Moscow and Minsk are seriously discussing expanding the front. He added that the "long-sanctions" on Russia are to continue, and that Ukrainian forces hit the Russian oil refinery in the city of Kstovo, 800 kilometers from the border.

Zelensky added that Ukraine has "fulfilled everything" required to enter the European Union, and that Kyiv's ascension to the bloc is "drawing closer."