MINSK, 16 February (BelTA) – Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei commented on Ukraine's ban on rail transit of Belarusian potash fertilizer as he held a press conference in Minsk on 16 February, BelTA has learned.
"The government has set up a group to counter sanctions. We carefully study all the decisions that any country makes in relation to Belarus, and develop adequate response measures. Similarly, in this situation, we are carefully analyzing the situation and will take appropriate steps, but we will make sure they do not damage our national, economic interests," Vladimir Makei said.
A few days earlier Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko commented on Uktaine's unfriendly move during a meeting with Ukrainian politician and statesman Alexander Moroz in Minsk on 14 February. The president noted that Ukraine decided not to buy Belarusian potash fertilizers and asked the United States to help replace this product. But the U.S. refused to help because they mostly buy potash from Canada.
"They asked America to help them with that! Imagine the price: to produce, to process, to load, to transport by rail, to unload in ports, to transport them across thousands of kilometers, and again to transship, to transport by rail and deliver them to farmers... It will be much more expensive. Why are they doing this?" the head of state expressed his bewilderment.
At the same time Belarus is ready to lend a helping hand to Ukraine, as always, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted. Recently, for example, Belarus has helped Ukraine with electricity at the country's request.
