Putin tells Belarusian leader Lukashenko Russia ready to help militarily if necessary

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in a phone call on Sunday that Moscow stood ready to provide help in accordance with a collective military pact if necessary, the Kremlin said in a statement.

The Kremlin said in the same statement that external pressure was being applied to Belarus. It did not say by who.

Belarus has been rocked by a week of street protests after protesters accused Lukashenko of rigging a presidential election last Sunday.