Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 22 May (BelTA) – The Eastern Partnership should not be directed against anyone. This has always been the position of Belarus, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said when speaking at the Congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus in Minsk, BelTA has learned

"The Ukrainian events should have taught us to cherish peace. There is a need to address the main thing, deal with the problem, including in Ukraine and other states. But what are they doing? They have gathered for the Eastern Partnership. And what? In every document they slam Russia either directly or indirectly,” he said.

"We have always been strongly opposed that the Eastern Partnership should be directed against anyone,” he said. “Russia does not participate in the Eastern Partnership. Then why in its absentia we should berate her, including for Crimea and so on? But they want to squeeze this condemnation into the final declaration and speak out against Russia,” he said.

"They are indignant that we did not support this. This is my principled position: the Eastern Partnership, other organizations should not be directed against anyone. We must defend our interests. Why should we be against Russia? Moreover, we were the place of peace on the Ukraine crisis. Leaders of the world powers gathered here to stop the war,” the Belarusian leader said.

"They say, let us be together against Russia. But this is contrary to our internal beliefs and the current state of things. Do not the leading western powers, including France and Germany, see this?" Alexander Lukashenko asked.

According to the President, today, when the peace is very fragile, it is a bad idea to try to blame someone. Alexander Lukashenko believes that at first we should solve the problem, and then figure out who is right and who is guilty. "But they would not. They are trying to drag Belarus into this. We cannot support such a position because the main thing today is not to pin the blame on someone, and we have heard enough accusations already, but to give peace to that country and people,” underlined the Belarusian leader.

"We do not want to get involved into any reckless schemes. We want peace. This is the essence of our policy,” the President said. "It would seem that this war has taught everyone to be very cautious, careful. We need to solve the main problem," the Belarusian head of state said.