Russian President Vladimir Putin will make brief visits to three countries during his two-day foreign tour to discuss bilateral relations and international issues, including the situations in Syria, Iran and Afghanistan, presidential aide Yury Ushakov said on Thursday, May 30, according to RIA Novosti.

Putin, sworn in as president on May 7, will travel to the Belarusian capital Minsk on Thursday to meet with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

On Friday, the Russian leader will go to the German and French capitals, Berlin and Paris, where he is expected to hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Joachim Gauck and French President Francois Hollande.