Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin today reiterated Moscow’s support to Belarus and told its President Alexander Lukshenko his solidarity with the latter in his stand against the “unilateral illegitimate sanctions imposed by the Western states in violation of international law”.
The two leaders discussed a series of current issues on the bilateral agenda over telephone prior to the plenary meeting of the 8th Forum of Russian and Belarusian Regions, in which both took part via videoconference.
Putin later emphasised in the Forum that Belarus is “not just a good neighbour but first of all our closest ally. Our relations are based on the principles of mutual respect, support and a balance of each other’s interests. Close friendly ties between the people of Russia and Belarus rest on a common history and common spiritual values, and often on family ties as well,” he said.
The economies of Russia and Belarus are closely interconnected. Russia is the largest foreign investor in the Republic of Belarus and accounts for 30 percent of foreign investment. Some 2,400 Russian companies are working in Belarus. Russia accounts for nearly 50 percent of the foreign trade of Belarus, he recalled.
Putin made it loud and clear that Russia will continue providing all-round assistance to the fraternal Belarusian people “in these far from easy domestic political circumstances in Belarus, amid the continued political and sanctions pressure and the stubborn attempts of external forces to stir up the situation”.
“We are supporting and will continue supporting our Belarusian friends in their resistance to the sanctions restrictions, which the European Union has recently imposed. We believe that the ban on the delivery of some Belarusian products to EU countries is damaging the interests of businesses and ordinary people – this is what those who adopt these decisions should have thought about – the interest of ordinary people, including in European countries themselves,” he said.
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He stressed that Russia was resolved to continue working consistently to develop its multifaceted ties with the Republic of Belarus and to build their common Union State. “On a larger scale, we are building up integration processes in Eurasia and we will be doing this, in particular, within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation,” he said.
Belarusian President Lukashenko thanked Putin for supporting his country “in this difficult period of time…especially against the backdrop of attempts to destabilise the situation in Belarus, economically as well.”
He said, “This is why we deemed it necessary to return to the problems that our two states are facing now.” He summed up the conversation saying, “We will not simply withstand the attacks against our states. Following the example of the Russian Federation when it had to deal with the sanctions, we will use this time to enhance economic cooperation and make our states absolutely independent not just as economic entities. This is the outcome of our talks”.
– global bihari bureau
