MINSK, 29 January (BelTA) - Belarus' trade with the European Union amounts to nearly $8 billion, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maksim Ryzhenkov said in an interview with Izvestia, BelTA has learned.
“Despite all the sanctions, about $8 billion is the amount of our trade with the European Union. The most interesting thing is that most of the positions in this amount belong to the states, which are at the core of criticizing Belarus and deploying anti-Belarus rhetoric in the European Union. They call for sanctions there, speaking about the illegitimacy of our authorities, and trade in the background. They are shaping the position of the European Union, forcing certain states, which are considered to be the locomotives of the EU, to suspend some kind of interaction, but doing otherwise themselves?” Maksim Ryzhenkov said.
According to him, European countries have an interest in trade and economic cooperation with Belarus. Many countries of Europe are showing more and more interest in it. “This can be seen in various events held between entrepreneurs of our countries, between chambers of commerce and industry, businesses,” the minister said.
“Despite all the sanctions, about $8 billion is the amount of our trade with the European Union. The most interesting thing is that most of the positions in this amount belong to the states, which are at the core of criticizing Belarus and deploying anti-Belarus rhetoric in the European Union. They call for sanctions there, speaking about the illegitimacy of our authorities, and trade in the background. They are shaping the position of the European Union, forcing certain states, which are considered to be the locomotives of the EU, to suspend some kind of interaction, but doing otherwise themselves?” Maksim Ryzhenkov said.
According to him, European countries have an interest in trade and economic cooperation with Belarus. Many countries of Europe are showing more and more interest in it. “This can be seen in various events held between entrepreneurs of our countries, between chambers of commerce and industry, businesses,” the minister said.