Belarus president: Russia willing to help counter protests

President Alexander Lukashenko says Russian leader Vladimir Putin has agreed to provide protest-engulfed Belarus with security assistance if the country requests it Lukashenko made the comment on Saturday evening, several hours after a phone call with Putin and after protesters again demanded that he resign.

President Alexander Lukashenko says Russian leader Vladimir Putin has agreed to provide protest-engulfed Belarus with security assistance if the country requests it

Lukashenko made the comment on Saturday evening, several hours after a phone call with Putin and after protesters again demanded that he resign. They claim the official results of the Aug 9 presidential election that gave the authoritarian leader a sixth term in office are fraudulent

Luksahenko did not specify what sort of assistance Russia would be willing to provide. But he said "When it comes to the military component, we have an agreement with the Russian Federation" in the framework of the countries' union agreement." "These are the moments that fit this agreement," he added.