Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 29 January (BelTA) – Belarus is not going to fight with the West for someone’s interests, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said during the meeting with journalists on 29 January, BelTA has learned.

The head of state underlined that in this difficult political situation on the international arena, Belarus firmly sticks to to its major foreign policy principle – a multi-vector policy. “Such a policy is prompted by our geopolitical location. We have our elder brother, our brethren in the East. Our bonds are so strong that it is impossible to break them,” Alexander Lukashenko said. Speaking about Ukraine, he noted that one of the main reasons for the conflict and the loss of part of its territory is “a stupid nationalist policy”. However, we have common history, we fought shoulder to shoulder in the last war, and we are firmly tied to each other, the head of state said.

Speaking about the Western neighbors, Alexander Lukashenko noted that Belarus, Poland and Lithuania were part of the same state in the past. “The history remembers it. What can you do about it?” the President said. He noted that today the West boasts advanced technologies. “Everyone seeks to collaborate with the European Union and America. The Russian Federation wants this cooperation, too. When this dispute arose, Russia made it clear that it wants to bring the relations back to normal,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

“Can we be blamed for wanting good relations with the West? We do not want to fight with them or look askance at them. They are our neighbors. There should not be any other policy towards them. Why would we bristle up? We have the same goal – peace and tranquility on our land. If we start arguing or, God forbid, fighting with our neighbors, we will never have peace. Ukraine is a case in point,” the head of state noted. Alexander Lukashenko concluded that Belarus was right to opt for the multi-vector policy.

He noted that Belarus should not be blamed by the Russian government. “We have never betrayed anyone. We have honored all our commitments. We have many common commitments, as well as obligations to Russia, agreements and treaties. I have never failed to deliver on my promises, I have not strayed from the obligations we have with the Russian Federation. However, this does not mean that we will fight with the West in someone’s interests (I do not mean the interests of the Russian government; however, this does not make a big difference). Who needs it? No one,” the head of state concluded. At the same time the President noted: “Lukashenko will never be welcome in the West”.