Events

MINSK, 17 October (BelTA) – We should take a calmer approach to the events in the Ukrainian political life, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told a press conference for the Russian regional mass media, BelTA has learned.

"We need to be calmer about what is happening in Ukraine in terms of politics. You know, they always boil in the run-up to elections, especially parliamentary elections. The things they are saying today will not necessarily be implemented tomorrow. This is natural. In Belarus we do not have such things because we have a very different situation,” the President said.

Besides, Alexander Lukashenko noted that he always could find common language with the Ukrainian politicians who were in power. The Belarusian leader did not have an opportunity to work with Leonid Kravchuk. "I knew well all the other Presidents and worked with them very closely, not only with Kuchma and Yanukovych, but also with Yushchenko, Turchinov,” he said. Alexander Lukashenko was also familiar with Piotr Poroshenko, even before he became President. "I have always maintained contact with these leaders, though gave very critical comments on their position, if it did not comply with ours," the Belarusian leader said.

Alexander Lukashenko noted that his contacts with Ukraine were not always welcomed in Russia. “Does it hurt Belarus and Russia? What is wrong about it? The recent events in Ukraine showed that there is nothing wrong about it,” the Belarusian leader stressed. The President reminded Russian reporters that Russia and Ukraine have recently faced serious problems in military and industrial cooperation. “I had to get involved in the issues,” he said.