Aliaksandr Lukashenka held talks today with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He stressed that relations between Minsk and Pyongyang are now entering a fundamentally new stage.
“I can tell you, as a person who has already seen everything in this world, that your country has a great future ahead of it with this hardworking, disciplined people. And the second thing I saw is that you know how to do everything. And you do it in a way that no one else in the world does. This is not a tribute to our talks. It truly comes from my own observations,” Lukashenka said.
According to him, Belarus and North Korea are brought closer together by shared interests: patriotism, preserving historical memory, and deep respect for the older generation.
“The friendly relations between our states, which originated back in the days of the Soviet Union, have never been interrupted. Today, as a result of comprehensive and steady development, we are moving to a fundamentally new stage. With a great delay, but nevertheless we are moving to a new stage. Yes, we really did not have close cooperation, mainly through our own fault. But I am sincerely pleased to note that interaction between us has now intensified significantly,” he said.
Following the talks, a treaty of friendship and 10 more agreements were signed.
“In the current realities of global transformation, when the norms of international law are being openly ignored and violated by the powers that be, independent countries need to cooperate more closely and consolidate efforts aimed at defending their sovereignty and improving the well-being of our citizens,” Lukashenka added.
He spoke in favor of the two sides building their relations without looking to other capitals.
“Like you, I support the idea that we should develop our relations without looking back at other countries, which, of course, will not be delighted by our relations. Because they are competitors.
Our economies are complementary, we need each other, and let us move in this direction. We will draw conclusions from the past, from our mistakes. And we will do everything to ensure that relations between North Korea and Belarus are exemplary,” he said.
For his part, Kim Jong Un said that Minsk and Pyongyang are seeking to build a multipolar world and also hold similar positions on many issues on the international agenda.
“I think this serves as a prerequisite for the possibility of further expanding and developing bilateral relations in line with the mutual interests of the two countries.
We express solidarity with and full support for Belarus, which is striving to pursue an independent policy suited to its own realities and to achieve peace and development, while continuing to develop relations with traditionally friendly countries,” he said.
The North Korean leader also spoke out against sanctions against Lukashenka.
“We oppose unlawful pressure on Belarus from the West and express support for and understanding of the measures taken by the Belarusian leadership aimed at socio-political stability and economic development,” he said.
