President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with local and foreign media that he would meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on February 17.

"We will discuss security and defense issues. But most importantly (I've already mentioned that we are preparing a meeting of the Supreme State Council somewhere in April - May) - we will discuss economic, military and political issues to be discussed at the Supreme State Council," said Lukashenko.

According to him, one of the most important issues for discussion will be how the governments of Belarus and Russia are performing their tasks.

"First of all, economic ones: with regard to energy carriers, single market, import substitution - how they are financed and how they are implemented. This is a whole range of issues. So we will discuss all the issues. And if we come up to the issue of our joint grouping in Belarus, of course, we will discuss it, too," said Alexander Lukashenko.

Speaking about the regional grouping of troops, the President of Belarus said that "the Russian military are in Belarus not to attack Ukraine. According to him, they undergo combat training with Belarusian servicemen in order to be ready together, if necessary, to repel aggression against Belarus.