MINSK, April 18. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko met with Acting Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Denis Pushilin in Minsk on Tuesday, the BelTA news agency reported.

This is the first official meeting between Lukashenko and Pushilin since the DPR joined Russia.

"I’d like to hear, as they say, a first-hand report on the situation. <…> I know about the shelling, and how hard it is for the people. What can Belarus do for Donetsk, how can we help?" the Belarusian leader said.

The head of state promised to help Donetsk to restore and normalize people's lives. "There is a lot of work ahead of us. <…> That is why we are ready to help people who are not strangers to us," he pointed out.

In turn, the DPR acting head said on this Telegram channel that the sides discussed cooperation in agriculture.

"We’ve discussed mutually beneficial cooperation between our region and the Republic of Belarus. We intend to cooperate in various areas, including in agriculture, taking into account the high competence of Belarus, as well as in industry and construction in connection with the reconstruction of the DPR," he said.