CHECHERSK, 29 April (BelTA) – They will be unable to bring Belarus and Russia to their knees. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement as he talked to residents of Chechersk District on 29 April, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lukashenko once again pointed out that the pressure of sanctions forces one to look for new opportunities. “Sanctions are a blessing in disguise. They bring opportunities. Everything we make now sells well on our main market – in Russia, in China, and other countries,” he stated.
The president used Gomel Oblast as an example to explain how sanctions can be overcome. The region has plenty of forests and timber enjoys a strong demand now. “Let’s learn how to sell our riches and process more,” he said. “We will keep our people busy and they will get good salaries.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko also mentioned mechanical engineering industry as another example: “Our tractors, automobiles, and harvesters. The governor of Russia’s Voronezh Oblast came yesterday. Russians are lining up to buy these machines and vehicles. They pay good money for them. I said: ‘Give us rubles but we will buy your gas and oil in exchange for rubles instead of dollars’. They agreed. What else do we need?”
“The market is open. We just have to work hard and stop complaining about sanctions. Yes, there are sanctions. We should work harder in some areas,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed. He pointed out that Belarus has always faced difficulties that had to be overcome. Things were not easier in the years after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. “Were things easier at some point in the past? They weren’t. But we found ways. When one road was closed for us, we found another. It will always be like that. If there are no sanctions, there will be competition anyway,” he noted.
“Now they rub their hands with glee: Russia has invaded Ukraine, we will bring Russia to its knees now and then we will do the same to Belarus. It won’t work. They will be unable to bring Russia and Belarus to their knees considering our level of intellect, educational standards, technological levels, and resources. We just have to forget that we are under sanctions,” the Belarusian leader stressed.