Putin says Russia stands ready to offer security assistance to Belarus, but there is no need for that yet

MINSK, Belarus (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin says that his Belarusian counterpart has asked him to provide security assistance to help stabilize the situation in the country if needed, adding that there is no such need yet. Belarus’ authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, is facing weeks of protests against his reelection in the Aug. 9 vote, which the opposition say was rigged. Putin, speaking in an interview with Russia’s state television broadcast Thursday, said that Lukashenko has asked him to prepare a Russian law enforcement contingent to deploy to Belarus if necessary. Putin that he and Lukashenko have agreed that “there is no such need now, and I hope there won’t be.”