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Russia's Putin hosts Belarus leader in Sochi
By EUobserver
Russian president Vladimir Putin hosted his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko for talks on Monday, AP reported, with media reports suggesting Lukashenko was aiming to secure another loan. The Kremlin extended both economic and political support to Lukashenko, after he cracked down on the largest mass protests in Belarus' history in the wake of his disputed re-election in August. In September, Putin said Moscow would provide a €1.2bn loan to Belarus.