Attempts to strangle Russia and Belarus have failed

The President of Belarus met with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov. The Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry visited Minsk to attend a meeting of the collegiums of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries. 

Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov and Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Aleinik
Photo by BELTA

“We are well informed about the results of this year for Russia. We have approximately the same results. It is very good that we have reached a balance in our trade and economic relations with the Russian Federation. We even have a slight trade surplus. This suggests that the attempts to strangle us, Russia and Belarus, have actually failed. We will definitely stand our ground,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.

The President noted that over the difficult year 2022, the parties mapped out the way to go in order to preserve their sovereignty at all levels, “We are making good progress in import substitution. President Putin and I start almost all meetings with this matter. The economy is at the heart of everything. If our economy is doing fine, we will be able to resolve all other issues.”
The President emphasised that he had always called the relations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs exemplary.
“If all our ministries co-operated in the same way as the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, we would not have any problems at all. And there would be no problematic issues altogether. I have always said this. Not only today,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasised.
The President noted that there are issues that need to be discussed at the meeting with Sergey Lavrov, and they go beyond the purview of the collegiums of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and Russia. 
“There are questions that we must discuss with you. You know my attitude towards you. I never hide anything from you. This is very important. Well, we also need to consult on some matters. Therefore, I suggest focusing on some key issues, and then we will have a one-on-one meeting to discuss other matters… But there are questions that are beyond the scope of our today’s official events,” said the Head of State.
The topic of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine was also raised at the meeting. 
“We are doing everything I have promised, everything Russia needs in this difficult period [the special operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine]. I listened to your yesterday’s press conference. I heard all your statements. I totally support all of them. In any contacts that we have with the West, others, we say that Russia has never been against peace. Let us negotiate. We are ready to take part in talks. You should have no doubt about that. If something is needed on our part, and we can do it (you know very well what we can do), say it straight, we will work together, side-by-side,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasised.
On this occasion, the Head of State emphasised, 

“Today, security for us, not only for Russia, is more important than before. You know the intentions of our western neighbours. Not only those of Ukraine. They are trying to use Ukraine against Belarus. But what amazes and pleasantly surprises me is that Ukraine has managed to resist so far. It has not yet engaged in provocations against Belarus. Although it is actively encouraged by our western neighbours. You know who these neighbours are. 
We have to withstand this period. The past year 2022 has shown that we can do it. We are on the same page here.”

Sergey Lavrov noted, “As for the special military operation, we are taking all necessary measures together with our Belarusian allies and friends to defend ourselves from possible encroachments, as you said, by our Western neighbours. We see how NATO is now settling in the north of Europe, which was a neutral territory in many respects. Finland, Sweden — all this is very close to our borders… Thank you very much for having me here. First of all, best regards from Vladimir Vladimirovich. Although you meet with him... We have calculated that last year you met 10 times in person in addition to phone calls. Therefore, we, the foreign ministers, cannot keep up with you. But that is the way it should be.”
In this regard, Aleksandr Lukashenko responded, “We will meet even more often this year.”
The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasised that the questions submitted to the meeting of the two collegiums relate to the policy that ‘is spearheaded by the Americans who put others under their sway as a result of the line of our Western colleagues for total domination’. 
“And this is manifested in the positions of NATO, of course, of the European Union. The Council of Europe has already taken this path. And many problems are accumulating in the OSCE,” he added. Sergey Lavrov said that these are some of the key issues on the agenda of the meeting of the collegiums, ‘along with co-operation in international organisations, where it is important for us to prevent the privatisation of secretariats, this is also what the West is trying to do’.
“It is of particular importance to coordinate our actions within the so-called human rights framework: the UN Council on Human Rights, other mechanisms, where the West is clearly trying to politicise the debate, which should be based on the existing international humanitarian law,” explained the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The President of Belarus was also informed about the foreign ministries’ efforts to facilitate the implementation of the 28 Union State programmes. They have been implemented by 70 percent. Moreover, a new action plan is being drafted to strengthen the Union State, to implement the Union State agreement for the period from 2024 to 2026.


The sides discussed interaction in the course of realisation of the programme on concerted actions in the area of foreign policy in 2022-2023, co-operation in the area of foreign policy planning, coordination of actions with regard to the European Union, NATO, and the Council of Europe, joint work within the framework of the OSCE.
Foreign Ministers Sergei Aleinik and Sergey Lavrov adopted a resolution of the joint meeting of the Board, approved the plan of consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and signed a memorandum of understanding between the government of the Republic of Belarus and the government of the Russian Federation on biological safety. Both ministers then spoke to the media. The counteraction of attempts to falsify and rewrite history and the sacrilegious war on monuments was mentioned by Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs as an important avenue of Belarus-Russia co-operation. In this regard, Sergei Aleinik mentioned an exhibition that had been opened in the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and offers an opportunity to see rare exhibits. It is dedicated to the 210th anniversary of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 and organised by the collector Vladimir Likhodedov. 
“The illegitimate sanctions-fuelled pressure on our states objectively requires greater coordination of actions from us, including the development of joint response steps. All the sanctions are obviously designed to deliver maximum damage to our citizens and create maximum discomfort. However, the past year demonstrated that any damage can be mitigated through tighter manufacturing co-operation and integration. We will do everything we can to become even more resilient and more independent in the future. Independent of irresponsible decisions of Western politicians. A hybrid war has been launched against us in all but name. It is designed to wear out and weaken both Belarus and Russia. And, let’s say, weaken our statehood and sovereignty. But we have already grown stronger together and will endure just like we did multiple times in the course of our common history,” stressed the Head of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry.
The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that escalation of the military and political tensions and cannot be left without a reaction on our part. 
“Once again we’ve expressed profound concern about the destructive policy of the United States of America and its satellites in favour of expanding NATO, bringing the alliance’s military force, military infrastructure closer to our common borders. Well, it leads to escalation of the military and political tensions... We share the opinion that the so-called collective West has in fact converted Ukraine into a foothold for further penetration of the post-Soviet space, a foothold for subversive actions against the Union State of Belarus and Russia, that the West directly encourages Kiev to create imminent threats to vital interests of Russia and Belarus… As we see, the Western blitzkrieg was successful neither in relation to Russia, nor in relation to Belarus. In recent months, many joint steps have been taken that have strengthened the economic sovereignty of our countries — these are, first of all, projects in the field of modern technologies, food security, transport and logistics connectivity,” Sergey Lavrov said.

Based on materials of sb.by and belta.by