Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 29 May (BelTA) – Russia and Belarus are allies and seek no confrontation with anyone. Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov made the statement for the press after meeting with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 29 May, BelTA has learned.

Sergei Lavrov said: “We’ve talked about relations between our countries on one hand and the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance on the other hand. We have a common stance. We are allies. We seek confrontation with no one. We would like to advance equal and mutually respectful relations based on principles of mutual benefits and equal indivisible security when no one ensures its own security at the expense of the security of others. We are ready to have a dialogue with all countries on this basis. Including the dialogue, which is starting to actively develop between the Eurasian Economic Union and foreign partners.”

During the meeting the intention to continue putting efforts into reinforcing and developing the Eurasian Economic Union was confirmed, including for the sake of expanding the geography of partner relations with individual countries and integration associations.

Sergei Lavrov and Alexander Lukashenko discussed the entire spectrum of relations, the work of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, progress in preparations for the next session of the Supreme State Council, and the development of additional documents, which will secure an advance in such an important matter as equal rights of citizens of Russia and Belarus.

Economic projects, which Sergei Lavrov believes are moving on quite successfully, were discussed as well. “We talked about the need to overcome the problems, which inevitably emerge due to the sheer size of relations in trade, economy, investment sphere, and manufacturing cooperation,” noted the Russian minister of foreign affairs.