President Vladimir Putin and his Belarussian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, discussed Monday a dispute between the ex-Soviet states over Russian potash producer Uralkali, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Peskov did not say whether the leaders had reached any agreement that could lead to the return to Russia of Uralkali's chief executive Vladislav Baumgertner, who was arrested in Minsk last month and remains behind bars following the collapse in July of a lucrative sales joint venture run by Uralkali.
Russia said last week it expected Belarus to hand over Baumgertner soon.
Putin and Lukashenko met on the sidelines of a summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a security alliance of six former Soviet republics, in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.