The President of Belarus Oleksandr Lukashenko said that his country is “already ready” to provide more aid to Russia in the war against Ukraine, The Guardian reports.

Speaking during a state visit to Zimbabwe, Russia’s ally, Lukashenko emphasized that Russia currently does not need “any help.”

When asked whether he was obliged to increase support for Moscow in connection with the invasion of Ukraine, he added:

• “If our Russian brothers need help, we are always ready to provide such help.”

He did not specify what exactly this assistance consists of.

Joint military centers with Belarus

Also on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin asked his government to negotiate the creation of joint military training centers with Moscow’s ally Belarus to support the offensive against Ukraine, AFP reports.

In a decree issued on Tuesday, Putin instructed Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to negotiate with Minsk on the creation of such centers, without elaborating.

Lukashenko, a close ally of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, visited the southern African country to strengthen economic and political ties between Belarus and Zimbabwe.

The two countries cooperate closely, especially in agriculture, and Lukashenko on Tuesday offered the southern African country several tractors, agricultural combines and trucks. Zimbabwe has not publicly condemned Russia for invading Ukraine.

Belarus has not sent any troops to the war in Ukraine, but allowed Russia to carry out part of its invasion from its territory last February and has also been a launch pad for Russian missiles in Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Russia and Belarus held joint military exercises on the territory of Belarus.