Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko is all but certain to extend his more than three decades in power in Sunday’s election that is rejected by the opposition as a farce after years of sweeping repressions.

President Alexander Lukashenko, often dubbed "Europe's last dictator," offered to free Anastassia Nuhfer whose arrest was linked to protests in 2020, a source told the AP.

First of all, it is a good platform for us to develop positions together with key political partners on the main items on the international agenda. It is also a good opportunity to have contact with our partners at the highest level to develop bilateral relations,

Belarusians are voting in a closely-managed presidential election that is all but certain to extend the one-man rule of Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994 and Europe’s longest-serving leader.

The result in the presidential elections was all too predictable. But has a power transition already begun? And can the West prevent continuing Kremlin domination in the country?

"All necessary conditions and a calm environment were created for the voters, so that they could cast their votes without any coercion,” Maksim Ryzhenkov said.

Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has extended his more than three decades in power in an orchestrated weekend election that the opposition and the European Union rejected as a farce.

MINSK - Reclusive Moscow-allied Belarus will hold a presidential election on Jan 26, with President Alexander Lukashenko set to cruise through to victory unchallenged for a seventh term, prolonging his three-decade authoritarian rule. Mr Lukashenko – a 70-year-old former collective farm boss – has been in power in Belarus since 1994.

Near a border checkpoint between Belarus and Ukraine, anti-tank spikes and concrete pyramids block what was once a bustling road between two peaceful neighbours. Novaya Guta is one of almost a dozen border crossings left deserted since Russia invaded Ukraine via Belarus in February 2022,

After 15 years have passed but the EU’s reaction has remained as hostile as ever, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov said.

EU said it will not lift sanctions against Alexander Lukashenko’s government following ‘sham’ presidential elections.