During a carefully planned meeting of an economic alliance led by Russia, which includes several former Soviet nations, things briefly went off track on Thursday when two leaders started arguing during a live broadcast of the event.

The Eurasian Economic Union, which consists of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other heads of state. Following a positive COVID-19 test, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan cancelled his trip and joined the meeting via video link. Pashinyan has been working to gradually reduce his nation's ties with Moscow and establish stronger relations with the West. The meticulously planned conference at a resort close to St. Petersburg took a detour when Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, whose nation replaced Armenia as the economic grouping's rotating chairman, persuaded Pashinyan to come to Belarus for the union's upcoming gathering.

Pashinyan said that he plans to join the meeting in Belarus via video call."In response, Lukashenko asked for an explanation and even offered to send a plane to bring the Armenian delegation to Belarus' capital. Pashinyan explained that he had previously decided to stop high-level visits to Belarus because of Lukashenko's support for Azerbaijan, Armenia's rival. I don't think this is the right format for discussing these issues," Pashinyan added.

Lukashenko kept arguing, and Pashinyan responded sharply. Putin, sitting next to Lukashenko, and the other leaders watched the exchange quietly, without reacting. The Eurasian Economic Union, created ten years ago to boost business relationships and make trade easier among its members, has faced challenges due to economic and other disagreements between the countries involved.