MOSCOW, 11 April (BelTA) – Belarus does not need a sanitary zone on the border with Ukraine, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he talked to journalists upon arrival at the Kremlin, BelTA has learned.
The president was asked to comment on the statement by his Russian counterpart that Russia may need a sanitary zone in the Ukrainian direction to ensure the security of the frontier regions of the Russian Federation. "Does Belarus need one?" they asked.
"I don't see the need for such a zone in Belarus yet. We are working very seriously on security there [in the border area with Ukraine]," the Belarusian leader said.
As for the sanitary zone between Russia and Ukraine, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that it will take an effort to create one: "These are not simple issues. I think that a lot will depend not only on the parties to the conflict but also on Western states."
"There are serious problems in Ukraine; they have started to admit it. I would not want the West to continue the escalation. Supplying weapons and ammunition is escalation. Now they have begun to talk about sending their military to Ukraine. Most likely, to the border to Belarus. We are waiting," the president added.
