Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko flew eight hours from Minsk to Pyongyang, spent one night and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, then flew eight hours home — all in the same week the Trump administration reportedly discussed inviting him to the U.S.

While the Belarusian leader received a warm reception in Pyongyang, it was a notable step down from the pageantry Kim laid on for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2024, highlighting the difference in effort expended by the two sides.

The lengths to which Lukashenko was willing to go for the summit and