(KPL) On July 17, 2025, President Thongloun Sisoulith of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic received a courtesy call from Mr. Maxim Rusenko, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, during his official visit to Laos from July 16–18.

President Thongloun warmly welcomed the Belarusian delegation and expressed appreciation for the visit, calling it a significant step toward further strengthening the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries. He also conveyed his greetings to President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus and extended an invitation for an official visit to Laos at a mutually convenient time.

The Lao President praised the ongoing development of bilateral ties, particularly the regular exchange of high-level delegations. He highlighted the 2013 state visit to Belarus by former President Choummaly Sayasone, which marked a new milestone in the partnership and resulted in the signing of 12 cooperation agreements.

President Thongloun also congratulated Belarus on the successful presidential election held in January and recalled his recent meeting with President Lukashenko during the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. He welcomed the recent Visa Waiver Agreement for ordinary passport holders, noting it will enhance people-to-people exchanges and deepen ties between the two nations.

He reaffirmed Laos’ commitment to expanding cooperation in various fields including politics, economy, trade, investment, education, tourism, culture, health, energy, and mining—areas with mutual potential and benefit. He emphasized the importance of both countries' Ministries of Foreign Affairs in implementing bilateral agreements to achieve concrete results.

In response, Minister Rusenko expressed sincere thanks for the warm hospitality and conveyed greetings from President Lukashenko. He extended an invitation for President Thongloun to visit Belarus and provided a brief overview of his meeting with the Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs. Minister Rusenko reaffirmed Belarus’ readiness to work closely with Laos to further strengthen the long-standing friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

KPL