The Latest Breaking News from Alexander Lukashenko

Finance chiefs of the world's largest economies strongly condemned Moscow for its war on Ukraine on Saturday, with only China and Russia itself declining to sign a joint statement. Read FRANCE 24's liveblog below to see how the day's events unfolded. All times are Paris time (GMT+1).

China is willing to work with Belarus to deepen mutual political trust, Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Belarusian counterpart Sergei Aleinik on Friday, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

International community will call on Putin once again to end the war

‘If Ukraine commit aggression against Belarus... the war will take on a completely different nature,’ says President Alexander Lukashenko

Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday he would only order his troops to fight alongside ally Russia if another country launches an attack against Belarus, the state-run Belta news agency reported.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Byalyatski called for "national reconciliation" between the Belarus authorities and opposition on Monday, in his final statement at a trial he said was politically motivated.

The war in Ukraine has conferred a new importance to the Baltic States and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe geographically closest to Russia – particularly Poland. Warsaw is determined to learn from Poland's own history and help Ukraine win the war.

Poland will close a key border crossing with Belarus until further notice, the Polish interior minister said on Thursday, as relations between Warsaw and Minsk sink to new lows.

A funeral for a Belarusian military volunteer and dissident was held in Ukraine's capital