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Ruler Alexander Lukashenko
Photo: Maxim Guchek / imago images / ITAR-TASS
On Saturday, Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, and the American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke on the phone.
Lukashenko is said to have pointed out to Pompeo his country's close alliance with Russia.
This is reported by the Russian news agency Tass, citing the state television of Belarus.
Lukashenko had chosen himself as the winner after the presidential election - the opposition accuses him of electoral fraud.
Demonstrations against the ruler have been going on across the country for weeks.
In the phone call with Pompeo, Lukashenko is also said to have said that Russia and Belaraus were standing by together to take action against external threats.
At the same time, he stressed that Russia does not interfere in Belarus' affairs.
Pompeo, in turn, is said to have declared that the US supported Belarus' independence and wanted to further develop cooperation with Belarus.
Women's protest continues
Meanwhile, hundreds of women demonstrated again in the center of the capital Minsk on Saturday.
"Freedom for Belarus" could be read on photos of posters from the women's march on the news channel Telegram.
There were protests in other cities as well.
Saturday has been firmly in the hands of women since the resistance against Lukashenko began around three months ago.
They are seen as a driving force behind the uprising against "Europe's last dictator", as Lukashenko is called by his critics.
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Protests against Lukashenko in Minsk on October 24th, 2020
Photo: - / dpa
At the big Sunday demonstration, this time everything is under the sign of a popular ultimatum by civil rights activist Svetlana Tichanovskaya.
The 38-year-old had given Lukashenko the 25th October deadline to resign and clear the way for new elections.
Lukashenko has released some prisoners from prison, but no more concession is in sight.
Since the controversial presidential election on August 9, there have been protests in the ex-Soviet republic because Lukashenko, after 26 years in power, was declared the winner with around 80 percent of the vote.
The democracy movement claims victory for Tichanovskaya.
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hda / Reuters / dpa
