Belarusian president set for meeting with Putin amid showdown with EU

President Alexander Lukashenko has found himself increasingly isolated after Belarusian flight controllers told the crew of a Ryanair plane to land because there was a bomb threat against it

Fri, 28 May, 2021 - 13:01

Vladimir Ishchenkov, AP

Belarus’s authoritarian leader is to discuss closer economic ties with Russia as he seeks support from his main backer amid a bruising showdown with the European Union over the forced diversion of a passenger jet to arrest a dissident journalist.

President Alexander Lukashenko has found himself increasingly isolated after Belarusian flight controllers told the crew of a Ryanair plane to land because there was a bomb threat against it.