Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko: Belarus will remain within its borders, will not come to heel

MINSK, 17 November (BelTA) – Belarus will stay within its borders and no one will bring it to heel, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko told reporters at a polling station on 17 November, BelTA has learned.

Journalists noted that when Belarus is trying to mend relations with the European Union, it is met with criticism in Russia, and if Belarus is deepening ties with its eastern partner, it upsets the West.

“Unlike Russia, we do not have a partnership agreement with Nato. Neither do with have an agreement with the European Union, like Russia does. Russia joined the WTO and is helping us to do the same,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

He admitted that taking all this into consideration, he does not understand why Russia is unhappy with Belarus as the country is building ties with its western partners. “I do not worry a lot about it, I just want to make it clear – we are not veering to the East or to the West. This is our land. We will stay here permanently and will not give away a single piece of our land. Neither the West nor Russia has to worry: we will stay where we are within the existing borders. However, we will not kowtow to anyone anymore,” the president said.

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