Фото: Пул первого
Alyaksandr Lukashenka wants Belarus to be not a dividing line but a bridge between East and West. He said this at a meeting with the Governor of Russia’s Kirov Region Alexander Sokolov. Lukashenka used the meeting to comment on recent events, in particular U.S. claims to Greenland. In his view, Europe should understand in this situation that its future lies together with Russia.
“Of course, we are not happy that Europe has more problems than we do. And that they will not go away, that they will have to buy gas from the East. And not only from the Western Hemisphere at a price five times higher than Russia has always offered. We are not happy. But, frankly speaking, I am pleased that Europe has finally understood where its happiness lies. Long before all the problems they have faced, I publicly said that Europe’s place is with us, with Russia. This is our home, this is where we should seek happiness,” Lukashenka said, according to his press service.
He believes that European politics will change today. In this context, he would like to see Belarus as a bridge connecting East and West.
“They did not understand. Or if they did understand, they lacked the courage and the strength to implement it. Today Merz has already stated that it is necessary to pursue an independent policy, and if the Americans impose tariffs, they are ready to respond with higher tariffs.
Maybe Europe has finally understood that it needs to be a subject of international relations. Maybe. God grant it. I do not want confrontation with the Americans. But the European Union is a powerful and technologically advanced union. So be worthy of being called the European Union — intelligent people live here, a huge number of people. Let us cooperate; why do we look askance at each other.
We do not want to be some kind of dividing line; we want to be a bridge between East and West, as it has always been. Just do not try to divide us. It is already difficult to divide us. In defence terms, we and Russia are a single whole, and looking at Belarus separately and Russia separately makes no sense. Someone may want that, but it will not be so. We are ready to defend our interests. And the Lord will always help us,” Lukashenka continued.
He also commented on the actions of Donald Trump.
“Look, he openly says: ‘We need Venezuela because there is oil there. We need Greenland because it is important for defence, and there are rare earth metals, oil, gas — everything is there.’ He openly talks about it. Something diplomats would never accept. Nor would I. You should keep quiet about the oil and say there are drug lords there and fight them. But he openly says he needs oil. ‘And if you Europeans do not buy ours, then you are finished, we will wipe you all out,’ and so on and so forth. Openly,” Lukashenka said.