MOSCOW, February 8. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held talks on a number of pressing international issues, including preparations for a meeting of the State Council of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, according to a statement from the Kremlin press service.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The presidents discussed preparations for a meeting of the State Council of the Union State of Russia and Belarus. They also addressed a number of current issues on the international agenda," the press service stated.

Sergei Glaziev, State Secretary of the Union State, had previously announced that the State Council would convene in Moscow on February 25.

TASS/gnews.cz-jav