Lukashenko is on a state visit to China

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Want to expand relationships: Alexander Lukashenko and Xi Jinping

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NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA;

NOEL CELIS / AFP

According to Chinese information, the Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko will travel to China on a state visit on Tuesday.

"Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will be on a state visit to China from February 28 to March 2 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said in a phone conversation with his Belarusian counterpart Sergei Aleinik on Friday that China is ready to work with Belarus to deepen mutual political trust, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

Lukashenko is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and is heavily dependent financially and politically on neighboring Russia.

Belarus borders Ukraine to the south and plays an important role for Russia in its war against Ukraine.

For example, Russian troops used Belarusian territory as a deployment area at the start of the war a year ago.

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Since the beginning of the war, there had been repeated discussions about whether Putin could also involve Lukashenko's troops in the war.

Belarus itself has held many maneuvers on its southern border in recent months, as Austrian military expert Gustav Gressel from the European Council on Foreign Relations explains.

However, it has become quiet this week, the units are back in the barracks, says Gressel.

If Belarus were to mobilize or if Russia were to move more troops there, the West would see both.

Military experts also consider it unlikely that the Russians will invade again.

(Read more here: Will the Russians attack again from the north? )

Doubts about a neutral mediator role

China, in turn, has gained in importance for Russia.

In a twelve-point paper, the People's Republic has called for a ceasefire and peace negotiations.

However, China's efforts to become more involved with proposals are viewed with skepticism, since China has not yet condemned Russia's war of aggression.

In addition, China is apparently itself negotiating with the Russians over a supply of kamikaze drones.

sak/AFP/Reuters