Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko exchanged gifts with Pope Benedict XVI in Rome on Monday (27 April) on his first trip to the EU in 13 years.
The pair in a 25 minute meeting in The Vatican spoke in a "positive climate" about "the relationship between faith and reason" and Roman Catholic-Russian Orthodox church relations, The Holy See said in a statement.
The unusual meeting saw Mr Lukashenko - a self-confessed atheist - take along his four year old son, Kolya, born out of wedlo...
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Already a member? Login hereAndrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.
Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.