Belarus leader and Putin ally Lukashenko to visit China

BEIJING (AP) — China says Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus and a close ally of the Russian leader, will visit Beijing this week. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Lukashenko is due to visit Tuesday through Thursday, but gave no details about his agenda. The visit comes as top U.S. officials warn China against providing military aid to Russia in its war on Ukraine. CIA Director William Burns repeated those earlier statements in an interview due to be broadcast on American channel CBS on Sunday, saying, “We’re confident that the Chinese leadership is considering the provision of lethal equipment. Burns added that it appears no final decision has been made yet. Beijing on Friday issued a proposal calling for a cease-fire and peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.