President Joseph Aoun receiving the Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maxim Ryzhenkov, in Baabda, on Feb. 11, 2025. (Credit: X/@LebanesePresidency)
The Belarusian Foreign Minister, Maxim Ryzhenkov, conducted a tour with Lebanese officials on Tuesday, starting at the Baabda Palace where he invited Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to Minsk, according to the X account of the Lebanese presidency.
"President Joseph Aoun received a letter from President Lukashenko, delivered by the Belarusian Foreign Minister, in which he is invited" to Minsk, stated the X account of the presidency. The message from the Belarusian president also emphasizes Alexander Lukashenko's desire to "strengthen relations between the two countries."
Belarus, led by Alexander Lukashenko who was re-elected at the end of January to extend his 30-year rule by an additional five years, is an ally of Russia. While in February 2022, Beirut had officially condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, criticism from parties close to the "axis of resistance" and Russia prompted official Lebanon to adopt a neutral stance on the conflict.
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