MOSCOW (AP) — The presidents of Russia and Belarus are holding talks on expanding ties between the two ex-Soviet neighbors and allies.

Friday's meeting in St. Petersburg is a second encounter between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko so far this month.

The two leaders didn't announce any immediate deals following the previous round of talks, but officials said they edged closer to agreements on deeper integration.

The talks triggered opposition protests in Belarus, where many fear that closer ties with Russia could weaken Belarus' post-Soviet independence.

Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for more than a quarter-century, relies on cheap Russian energy and loans to shore up his country's Soviet-style economy.

Russia and Belarus signed a union agreement in 1997 that envisaged close political, economic and military ties, but stopped short of forming a single nation.

The Kremlin has recently raised pressure on Belarus, increasing energy prices and cutting subsidies. Russian officials say Minsk should accept closer economic integration if it wants to benefit from lower energy prices.