Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has held an informal meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk ahead of high-level negotiations expected to deepen economic and political ties between the two countries.

During the meeting, President Lukashenko warmly welcomed the Uzbek leader and thanked him for making the official two-day visit, The Caspian Post reports via UzDaily.

The two presidents discussed the key agenda of their upcoming talks and emphasized the importance of maintaining open and trust-based dialogue amid ongoing geopolitical changes.

The leaders praised the results of several bilateral events held ahead of the visit, including the Forum of Regions, which brought together businesses and regional officials from Uzbekistan and Belarus and resulted in a number of new commercial agreements.

Earlier, upon arriving in Minsk, President Mirziyoyev was welcomed at the international airport by Belarusian Prime Minister Alexander Turchin and Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov. He later laid a wreath at the Victory Square memorial, honoring those who lost their lives during World War II.

The official negotiations on July 9 are expected to focus on expanding industrial cooperation, launching new joint ventures, and increasing bilateral trade, which rose by 25% to nearly $1 billion by the end of 2025.

The two leaders are also expected to review around 20 bilateral agreements, including a landmark Declaration on Establishing a Strategic Partnership between Uzbekistan and Belarus, marking a new chapter in relations between the two countries.