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08 February 2018, 12:36

Lukashenko: Russia is a friendly country with fraternal people for Belarus

MINSK, 8 February (BelTA) – Russia is a friendly country with fraternal people for Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with Latvia Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis on 8 February, BelTA informs.

“We are not going to create any problems for our neighbors. It is bad when neighbors are disappointed. This is our principle in the relations with Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia. We have never reproached you for joining the European Union. On the contrary, we are trying to benefit from it, and we are happy when you are a success. But you should clearly understand that Russia is a friendly country with fraternal people for us,” Alexander Lukashenko emphasized.

The president acknowledged that there are certain issues in the relations between Belarus and Russia. “But this is a different story. These are not the relations between the people of Belarus and the people of Russia. These are the relations of the two governments, the president of Russia and the president of Belarus. If we do not manage to build something sometimes, it has nothing to do with the relations of our peoples,” the head of state said.

Alexander Lukashenko remarked that the relations with Russia are also beneficial for Belarus from the economic perspective. “Belarus' economy is rather strong. According to various estimates, we produce from $75 billion to $100 billion here. As you understand, economic results should materialize in trade. The European Union and Russia are our major markets,” the president said.

The head of state added that the Belarusian and Russian national economies are still closely connected. Belarus purchases many raw materials in the neighboring country. “About 10 million people are working at Russian enterprises where we purchase goods. And they also depend on us: if we stop buying components, metals, hydrocarbons, there will be huge reduction at those enterprises. Therefore, we can see interdependence in the economy,” the Belarusian leader said.

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