Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russia was “not interested” in taking over Belarus, its closest ally, which is heavily dependent on Moscow for gas and oil supplies, AFP reported.

“Russia is not interested in absorbing anyone. It just doesn’t make sense,” Putin said at a press conference with his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, after talks in Minsk.

Putin said that Russia is conducting military exercises in Belarus

But the Russian president admitted that the Russian military is currently conducting military exercises on the territory of Belarus as part of efforts to protect “the security of our countries,” reports CNN.

Speaking in Minsk with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Putin said that Russia and Belarus will continue to cooperate closely in the military sphere, exchange and develop military equipment and weapons.

Putin stated that “such measures are necessary” due to the tense situation “at the external borders of the Union state.” [Rusia și Belarus]”, he said.

Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svitlana Tikhanovskaya has warned that the risks of Minsk sending troops to Ukraine “may increase in the coming weeks” as fears grow in Kyiv that Moscow is pressuring its close ally to join a new ground offensive against Ukraine , The Guardian reports.

Ukraine will closely monitor the negotiations. Last week, several Ukrainian military leaders said that Russia may attempt another major offensive in northern Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyi said on Sunday that Ukraine is ready for “all possible defense scenarios” from Moscow and its ally.

Kyiv has “the right to prepare” for Minsk joining Moscow’s new offensive, as the probability “may increase in the coming weeks,” Tikhanovska said in an interview with the Kyiv Post.