Belarus Leader Lukashenko Meets with American Evangelical Leader Franklin Graham

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko received Franklin Graham, a prominent American evangelical leader and missionary, in an official meeting. Graham announced plans to organize what would be the largest evangelical gathering in Belarus's history. The meeting represents an unusual diplomatic engagement between the authoritarian leader and a major American religious figure, as Belarus remains under Western sanctions following Lukashenko's disputed 2020 re-election and subsequent crackdown on opposition protesters. Graham, son of famous evangelist Billy Graham, leads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and has previously conducted religious missions in various countries worldwide.