MINSK, September 14. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko will hold face-to-face talks in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, BelTA news agency reported on Monday.

According to the news agency, the two leaders will discuss the current state and prospects for bilateral cooperation in various fields, allied relations, discuss international issues, the situation in the region and issues related to joint response to emerging challenges.

This is Lukashenko’s first visit abroad after the presidential election that was followed by mass protests. Unlike some Western countries, Russia recognized the outcome of the election in Belarus as legitimate. The Belarusian president’s visit to Russia was preceded by intensive preparations, including Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s visit to Minsk in early September. According to Lukashenko, it is planned to dot the i’s on the most sensitive issues for the two countries at his meeting with Putin.