Putin ally Lukashenko says he won’t seek another term as Belarus president

The leader was interviewed by a US media outlet, in a sign of thawing relations with the United States under Trump

Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko has said he is not seeking another term in office.

“No, I don’t intend to do that,” Lukashenko said in a video interview released on Friday with the US Time magazine in Minsk.

The 70-year-old has ruled Belarus as president since 1994, aligning the country closely with Moscow under Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He is due to serve until 2030 after winning another term in January in elections that were seen internationally as neither free nor fair.