Opinions & Interviews

FM: Belarus needs EU as united powerful geopolitical player

MINSK, 4 June (BelTA) – Belarus needs the European Union as a united powerful geopolitical player, Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said at the expert seminar “Eastern Partnership at 10: Results and Ways Forward” on 4 June, BelTA has learned.

The minister expressed the hope that the EU would not lose interest in the Eastern Partnership after the 2019 European Parliament elections. In his words, Belarus would like the Eastern Partnership to remain a priority for the EU.

Vladimir Makei also stressed: “We would like the European Union to overcome as fast as possible its inner turbulence, including financial problems, migration and Brexit. Here in our region, we need the European Union as a united powerful geopolitical player which could be a very important and reliable partner for us. I am convinced that cooperation in the Eastern Partnership will remain in place and grow in that case,” the minister said.

According to him, Belarus remains committed to the Eastern Partnership and would like to develop the closest ties with the European Union, including within the framework of the Eastern Partnership and beyond. “You can be rest assured that we will always be a reliable partner for the EU,” he said.

“We do not know what will happen in 10-15 years. I think nobody does. But I do not exclude different developments. So let us do everything possible to overcome, as quickly as possible, the great confrontation that we see in our region and to work on a more unifying agenda of our cooperation,” Vladimir Makei noted.

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