Lukashenko arrives for talks with Putin on Russian force presence

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends the "Allied Resolve" military exercises held by the armed forces of Russia and Belarus at the Osipovichsky training ground in the Mogilev region, Belarus, February 17, 2022. Maxim Guchek/BelTA/Handout via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko landed in Moscow on Friday for talks with Russia's President Vladimir Putin that Minsk said could determine how much longer Russian military forces remain in the ex-Soviet republic north of Ukraine.

Russia's joint war games in Belarus, which are meant to run until Sunday, have added to Western fears that Moscow could launch an attack on Ukraine, which shares borders with both countries.