Russian President Vladimir Putin will make a rare state visit Monday to Belarus, one of his country's closest allies. The visit comes as Russia has escalated its attacks on civilian bastions in Ukraine, and has prompted Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko to confirm his country's sovereignty.

The Belarusian leader refuted the "whispering" in his country that "Russians are already walking and running the country."

"I would like to emphasize this feature once again: no one, except us, governs Belarus," Lukashenko said Friday, according to remarks published by the presidential press service. "We must always proceed from the fact that we are a sovereign state and independent."

Putin traveled to Minsk on Monday, as pressure mounts for Belarus to provide more support for Russia's war in Ukraine. The meeting marks Putin's first state visit to the county in years, a sign that he is beginning to shore up support from allies.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin arrives in Belarus for his first state visit to the country in more than three years.

Belarus, and Lukashenko specifically, rely on Russia for fuel, financial, and security assistance. Without the allyship, Lukashenko would likely not have sustained his almost 30-year grip on power in the country.

The Kremlin released a statement saying the meeting between the two leaders would focus on "key aspects" of their strategic partnership and "current issues on the international and regional agenda."

The escalation of the war in Ukraine has left Belarus in a difficult position. As Russia's military exploits have begun to falter, eyes have shifted toward Belarus, anticipating its entry into the conflict. Yet Lukashenko and Belarus have remained on the periphery, allowing Moscow to station troops and launch missiles from Belarusian territory, but refraining from sending in their own troops.

Despite the exclusion of Belarusian support thus far, Ukrainian leaders remain cautious of the potential of an attack from the north. Top military generals joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in voicing their concerns about a joint Russia-Belarus force, adding that they would be prepared.

In conversation with the New York Times, one of Zelensky's top advisors, Mykhailo Podolyak, said Ukraine is bracing for the possibility of Russian escalation, likely to come through a winter offensive.

Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, was bombarded by Russian drones early Monday morning, as Russia continued its assault on Ukraine's power stations, electrical grids, and other civilian targets.

In his Friday meeting at Minsk, Lukashenko reaffirmed his country's relationship with Russia, defending his relationship with Putin as he amps up his aggression in Ukraine.

"[Russia] is the state closest to us, the peoples closest to us," he said. "I think that as long as we are in power, we will adhere to this trend. If it were otherwise, it would be like in Ukraine."

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