The countries agreed to encourage cooperation between companies and financial institutions in major construction projects and for governments to provide assistance where required.

The maps show another 92,000 hidden anti-tank and anti-personnel mines in the former front-line Fizuli and Zangelan districts. Armenia occupied those districts and all or parts of seven others of Azerbaijan for 25-30 years.

The expulsion of the EU representative was linked to an order barring entry to EU diplomats deemed by Minsk as having a hand in drafting sanctions against Belarus - including the suspension of potash exports from Belarus, the key component of fertilisers.

Mauro Longobardo, the plant’s CEO, said resource “rent” on iron ore mining would place an insurmountable burden.

Lukashenko, defiant, vowed the "bastards on the other side of the border” would not succeed.

Corruption in Ukraine is largely linked to oligarchs’ outsized influence – meaning, individuals who exert influence as essentially monopolists, extend control over the media, or deploy legions of lobbyists.