Belarusian leader Lukashenko says Germany's Merkel called him -Interfax

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said he had received a phone call on Sunday from German Chancellor Angela Merkel amid protests and strikes that pose the biggest challenge to his 26-year rule, the Interfax news agency reported on Monday.

Lukashenko faces the threat of European Union sanctions after a crackdown on protests following what demonstrators say was his rigged re-election victory last week. He denies losing, citing official results that gave him just over 80% of the vote.