U.S. deputy state secretary to visit Eastern, Central Europe amid Belarus crisis

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun will travel to Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and Austria over the coming week, the U.S. State Department said in a Sunday statement.

Biegun will meet with senior government leaders to discuss a range of regional and international issues during his visit to Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine from Aug. 24 to 27, said the statement.

The No. 2 U.S. diplomat will also travel to Vienna, Austria on Aug. 27 to meet with counterparts at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to discuss issues related to regional security and human rights.

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Biegun’s trip to Russia and Lithuania reportedly would focus on the crisis in Belarus.
Belarus has been witnessing mass protests after incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko won a sixth term during the Aug. 9 elections, with the opposition refusing to recognize the results. Enditem

Source: Xinhua