Lukashenko: union of Belarus, Russia is at forefront of struggle for just world
The union of Belarus and Russia is at the forefront of the struggle for a just world – as stated by President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko at today’s ceremony of awarding the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin
Aleksandr Lukashenko cordially thanked his Russian counterpart for this high award, “I consider it as a recognition of the merits of the entire Belarusian people, consistently strengthening unity with our fraternal Russia. For our country, Russia has always been and will be more than a neighbouring state. We have the same historical roots, the same traditions and values, which are intertwined by an infinite number of ordinary human relationships. In general, we — Belarusians, Ukrainians, Russians — have common roots, and our main achievement is that we have preserved our basis. It is now in the heart of the enormous potential of our co-operation.”
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, in recent years, we have managed to significantly strengthen the economic, cultural and spiritual ties that our ancestors have been building for centuries. “Our unique integration association, the Union State, is successfully developing. Today we are fighting together for a just world, and the union of Belarus and Russia is at the forefront of this brutal and very serious struggle. There is no alternative to such a course in the context of an aggravated, escalating international situation. At the same time, the Union State may well be a model of new equal relations.”
Addressing Vladimir Putin, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted, “Belarusians see and appreciate the support that you provide to us. We have been faced with a choice many times, but we have never — and I would stress this again, never — turned away from Russia. You and your colleagues know this well. Belarus is a reliable ally. I want Russia to know this for sure. Belarusians have never betrayed Russians, and accept my assurance that they will never do this. It has already been decided somewhere in the heaven that we would share our successes and difficulties in a brotherly manner. As the President elected by the Belarusian people, I will always stand guard over our common interests, centuries-old good neighbourliness and friendship. The more than three hundred years of history of the order awarded to me, as well as the dedication of many generations of ancestors who built and defended our Fatherland, oblige me to strengthen our union and our unity with all my might.”
