Lukashenko on Belarus' co-operation with Donbass, Crimea: it’s probably not quite right for Ukraine to dictate terms to us
In an interview with Izvestia on the side-lines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Belarus’ President Aleksandr Lukashenko answered the question of whether Minsk and Moscow have the issue of recognising Crimea and new regions as Russian territories on their agenda, as well as whether the Belarusian leader intends to travel to Crimea, BelTA reports
"Crimea? I think this is rather a journalistic question, but I will go if needed. I am a determined person. Well, what was the need to go to Crimea, for example, today or in the recent past? I outlined my position at the very beginning, and would repeat simply what I said at the beginning of the Crimean events: de facto Crimea is Russian, de jure it is not – since these issues were settled unilaterally, and the international so-called community (which does not bother Russia, and I would behave in the same manner) does not recognise Crimea as Russian. This is my position," the Head of State said.
At the same time, Aleksandr Lukashenko drew attention to the fact that Belarus had immediately begun to co-operate with Crimea, and it continues doing so at present – in the same way as with other regions. "By the way, the leadership of Ukraine and the military reproach us for this, saying that the Belarusian organisations that co-operate with these, as they say, occupied regions will fall under sanctions. Actually, they are already under sanctions, so there's nowhere else to go. As for Donbass and Crimea, we sell them the products they need (if we have them), and they pay money to us in rerun. Why should we not co-operate with them?" the President wondered.
"Moreover, I think it is probably not quite right for Ukraine to dictate us the terms of whom we should co-operate with. Ukraine was the first – even before the European Union and the United States – to impose sanctions against us. What sort of demands could be placed on us? Therefore, this issue is probably at least postponed. I will invite you as a journalist when I go to Crimea, I promise," Aleksandr Lukashenko summed up.
