MOSCOW, July 14. /TASS/. The presidents of Belarus and Russia, Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin, discussed NATO’s increasing presence in Ukraine, Belarusian Presidential Spokeswoman Natalia Eismont said on Wednesday after the presidential talks in St. Petersburg.
"The international agenda is Western policy, particularly of the European Union and the United States, towards Belarus and Russia. Regarding Ukraine - on this issue, they focused on the situation around the NATO bloc’s increasing military presence in that country. In particular, large-scale exercises and the Alliance’s plans to build military bases," she said in a video commentary on the Telegram channel Pool One.
Additionally, the presidents considered "countering threats in Central Asia by member states of the CSTO (the Collective Security Treaty Organization - TASS), in the wake of the US forces’ pullout from Afghanistan".
The presidents also touched upon security and defense issues, counterterrorism efforts and cybersecurity. The spokeswoman pointed out that Belarus and Russia had unified approach to those issues.
"It is mutual support and agreement to join forces," Eismont said.