NewsLukashenko's controversial Mongolia visit sparks public outrage

Lukashenko's controversial Mongolia visit sparks public outrage

A man running with a Ukrainian flag
A man running with a Ukrainian flag
Images source: © X | Gerashchenko_en

8:27 AM EDT, June 6, 2024

Since the beginning of June, Alexander Lukashenko has been on a diplomatic trip, where he visited Mongolia for four days. The Belarusian leader was received there with great honors; however, the visit did not avoid controversy. Among the incidents was a man running in the city center with a Ukrainian flag.

On Saturday, June 1st, the official diplomatic visit of the President of Belarus to Mongolia began. This event is highly significant as its goal was to strengthen trade and economic relations between the two countries.

However, it turns out that from the very start, Lukashenko's arrival in Ulaanbaatar was marred by several scandals. Even before his arrival, an investigation by EU Reporter from 2020 indicated that the Belarusian regime was laundering money there.

To make matters worse, former Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj fueled the fire. He called Alexander Lukashenko a person who committed "crimes against humanity" and called for the Belarusian president's arrest.

Society's opposition to Alexander Lukashenko's visit to Mongolia

As it turns out, this is not the only act of opposition to hosting the Belarusian leader in the capital. A few days ago, a video appeared online showing a man suddenly running with a Ukrainian flag on the main square in the city. Unfortunately, a police officer took it from him shortly afterward.

This situation, however, highlights how polarized Mongolian society is. On one side, there are officials attempting to strengthen ties with the Belarusian and Russian regimes, while on the other side, ordinary people criticize the actions associated with the war.

Despite public opposition, the government continues to seek closer ties with Belarus, as evidenced by this visit. During this time, a bilateral agreement was expected to be signed to expand cooperation between the countries.

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