The President of Bosnia’s Republika Srpska (RS) entity, Milorad Dodik, said in Minsk, during the meeting with the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, that the cooperation and friendship of this entity with Belarus continues "despite all the challenges," the BELTA agency reported.

“I am very happy about our meeting. I personally see you as a friend of our people, that is, as a brother,” said Dodik.

Dodik recalled that he first met Lukashenko in 2000 in Jerusalem during the commemoration of two thousand years of Christianity.

After the meeting, he said that it was an “exceptional meeting”, and that economic cooperation was also discussed.

Belarusian President Aleksandar Lukashenko said at a meeting with Dodik, in Minsk, that Belarus is ready to provide aid and support to the RS, the Belarusian news agency reported.

“I think you are standing firm, representing the interests of the Orthodox and people who believe in you. We're on your side in that. And you can count on us. In a word, you came to your friends,” Lukashenko told Dodik.