Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 17 October (BelTA) – Combat operations and loss of life in Ukraine’s east must be stopped conclusively and irreversibly. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko made the statement at the press conference held on 17 October for representatives of Russian regional mass media, BelTA has learned.

“We believe that combat operations and loss of life in Ukraine’s east must be stopped conclusively and irreversibly. We have already complicated relations with Ukraine to impossible degrees! Not just Ukraine’s elite but even super elite, who are very benevolent towards Russia and us and are dependent on Russia and us, say that we have worsened relations with the Ukrainian nation and the Ukrainian state forever,” noted Alexander Lukashenko.

“The conflict in Ukraine must be resolved only through negotiations. There will be no winners in this war,” stressed the Belarusian leader. “It is the reason why we always and everywhere speak in favor of a dialogue and do our best in order to contribute to this complicated negotiation process. Laurels of peacekeepers are not the reason,” he noted.

“All of us — Belarusians, Russians, Ukrainians — have come in essence from the same ‘nest’ — the Slavonic one. This is why as a human being it pains me to see what’s going on in Ukraine,” noted Alexander Lukashenko.

“It is obvious that external forces are trying to split our countries in order to instill hostility and hatred in the hearts of the nations, which are historically close and friendly in spirit for us. Yet we are to blame for it as well since we give reasons for it. Sometimes we create the fertile soil for this external pressure the way Ukraine has done,” believes the Belarusian head of state.

“It is necessary to get down to the restoration of towns and villages in Ukraine. If it is not done as soon as possible, the consequences may become truly catastrophic,” noted the Belarus President. “Thousands of refugees from Ukraine have gone to Russia and Belarus in a bid to save their own lives and the lives of their children. We have no right to forsake these people. We should help them as brothers and neighbors would. Moreover, these people are no strangers for us”.

Alexander Lukashenko reminded that Belarus had decided to implement a roadmap for the social rehabilitation of refugees from the neighboring country. “As far as I know from mass media reports most of the refugees have very positively accepted what we do to support them,” noted Alexander Lukashenko.