The Georgian Foreign Ministry has summoned the Ambassador of Belarus to Georgia following the visit of Belarus President Aleksander Lukashenko to the occupied Abkhazia region.

Alexander Lukashenko arrived in occupied Abkhazia on Wednesday and met with de-facto leader Aslan Bzhania in Bichvinta.

On February 7 Lukashenko said that he does not rule out recognizing the independence of Russian-occupied Abkhazia, Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia and annexed Crimean Peninsula “as long as I understand and President [Vladimir Putin] tells me there is a need for it.”

Moscow recognized the independence of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia on August 26, 2008, two weeks after the end of the Russo-Georgian war. Syria, Venezuela, Nauru, and Nicaragua are the only other nations that recognize the two regions’ independence from Georgia. Tbilisi and most of the international community regard the two regions as part of Georgia.

In 2009, Minsk was considering to recognize Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions, but eventually refused to follow Moscow’s suit. Lukashenko then said he rejected the recognition because Moscow refused to share negative consequences, including sanctions expected for Belarus from the West in case of such decision.