Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus in a phone call expressed determination to boost allied ties between the two countries, the Kremlin press service said in a statement on Thursday.

"[The presidents] discussed pressing issues on the bilateral agenda. The parties expressed mutual determination to boost allied ties between Russia and Belarus in all areas," the statement reads.

According to the Kremlin press service, Putin and Lukashenko also touched upon efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in connection with the Belarusian president’s visit to Azerbaijan on April 13-14.

The two presidents agreed to maintain contact at various levels.

The Belarusian presidential press service, in turn, said that the focus of the conversation had been on enhancing Belarus-Russia relations. "The presidents also exchanged views on international issues and considered the schedule of future meetings," the press service said.