Lukashenko: Belarus’ sovereignty and independence are unshakable

The sovereignty and independence of Belarus are unshakable, but our country will never be an enemy of Russia – as stated today by the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, at a meeting on Belarusian-Russian co-operation

In particular, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that not a single Union State programme encroaches on Belarusian sovereignty and independence, “After this period of time, after the rebellion in Belarus, we confirm the correctness of the strategic course we have chosen for rapprochement with Russia and the timeliness of the measures taken, the package of integration documents within the Union State framework. These programmes in no way affect the independence, sovereignty of either Belarus or Russia.”

According to the President, the situation is already escalating. After the upcoming large-scale negotiations, there will certainly be talks that there is no longer power in Belarus and that Russians are already ruling the country, etc. Aleksandr Lukashenko once again underlined, “No one except us governs Belarus and the country. These are our functions under the Constitution, including mine, and we are realising these functions. When something cannot be agreed, many begin to whisper that Russia sets unacceptable conditions for us related to our independence and sovereignty. I say absolutely sincerely: if the Russian Federation, the Russian leadership wants to build relations with the sovereign, independent state of Belarus, if Russia perceives us as a sovereign independent state, but very close, very reliable, where everything Russian (from the language to Russian traditions) is held sacred, we are ready to build relationships. But we must always proceed from the fact that we are a sovereign and independent state.”

On this occasion, Aleksandr Lukashenko turned to history, noting that we were ready to live and work in one state. But it was not us who destroyed the USSR, although we know a lot where the tendencies towards the collapse of this state came from, about the reasons for this destruction, etc.

“Therefore, we (albeit unexpectedly, however you like) got these sovereignty and independence. We must preserve this sacredly because the Belarusian people want it. But we will never be enemies of Russia and we will never look askance at Russia,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “This is the closest state to us, the peoples are closest to us. I think as long as we are in power, we will adhere to this trend. If it were otherwise, it would have been like in Ukraine. Everyone understands this, but not everyone can talk about it. Those who run away need to earn money for their living. Some give them money and tell what to say. So they say. Therefore, sovereignty and independence are unshakable. And all sorts of talks here or there otherwise mean a betrayal of the interests of the Belarusian people. Yes, we are with Russia as a sovereign and independent state. I say this calmly, knowing the position of the Russian President. We are not even discussing this issue now. We once agreed on how we will act by signing these 28 Union State programmes. There is no encroachment, in any programme, on our sovereignty and independence. Therefore, Roman Aleksandrovich and Nikolai Gennadievich (Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko and First Deputy PM Nikolai Snopkov), you must strictly proceed from this. Neither left nor right.”