MINSK, 21 July (BelTA) – French politicians make decisions with a careful eye to the USA. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement in an interview with the news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP), BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “You dance to the American pipe.” As an example he referred to the situation regarding sales of nuclear submarines to Australia. “You signed a contract to make and deliver $50 billion worth of nuclear submarines to Australia. Uncle Sam came and told Australia: ‘We can make $50 billion worth of these submarines for you'. He was told: ‘What about France?' He said: ‘I couldn't care less!' And then what? What did Emmanuel Macron and the nuclear French power do? What did you do? You make nice with the U.S. president begging to lick him. What sovereignty and independence are you talking about? Explain it to me. The contract was worth $50 billion! You did not even take them to court. What kind of democracy are you? You protected neither your country nor your people. And you dare rebuke me for Russia selling us something…”
“May god allow the president of France to enjoy as good relations with all countries as I have with Russia, on these principles,” Aleksandr Lukashenko continued. “President Putin or the Russian government have never squeezed me and told me to do this or that. We maintain truly reliable, brotherly, and kind relations.”
According to the president, there were complications relating to supplies of energy resources in Belarus-Russia relations in the past and Belarus had to look for alternative suppliers then. “Don't think that I am a puppet which is constantly controlled. Nothing of the kind! It is not in my character and there is no need for that,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
