Belarus's state news agency said President Alexander Lukashenko had spoken by phone on Friday with Nursultan Nazarbayev, the former leader of Kazahstan who was the target of popular anger this week in mass protests that swept the Central Asian country.
It was the first public mention since the start of the unrest of any official contact involving Nazarbayev, who stepped back from the presidency in 2019 but continued to wield power behind the scenes as head of Kazakhstan's Security Council.
Security forces appeared to have reclaimed the streets of Kazakhstan's main city, Almaty, on Friday, a day after Russian paratroopers began to arrive to help restore order after days of violence in which dozens were killed and public buildings torched.Lukashenko also faced mass street protests last year against his rule following a disputed election, and had to turn to Russia for financial and military support to stay in power.