MINSK, 22 August (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has stated that he never asked the United States to lift sanctions during negotiations with the U.S. side, as he talked to journalists in Minsk on 22 August, BelTA has learned.
Speaking about his recent telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that it did not happen out of the blue. This is also the result of certain steps and negotiations with the U.S. side. Prior to this, there had been approximately five meetings, the last one being with US President's Special Envoy Keith Kellogg, details of which were made public.
The president stated that Belarus has taken a number of steps to accommodate the US and is now expecting reciprocity from the U.S. side: “We told them: ‘Guys, we have taken many different steps to meet you halfway. Now we expect some steps from you. I never even mentioned sanctions, I swear to you. Our guys, Rybakov [Belarusian diplomat Valentin Rybakov] told him: ‘You know what Belarus needs.’ I have forbidden asking.”
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, there is no particular reason for such requests, although sanctions do have a certain negative impact on the country's life. But Belarus has largely adjusted. There are enough foreign markets where its products are in demand. “For our country with a small economy, not much is needed. Of course, if there were no sanctions, we would live better. What is there to say... There is nothing good about them,” the head of state said.
For example, the president mentioned sanctions against the Belarusian airline Belavia and against potash fertilizers. “Well, if they lift the sanctions from Belavia and you start flying around the world freely again, that is probably important. But I do not think you are suffering because Belavia is under sanctions. We fly to China, to all those countries, we fly across Russia. All planes are operational. Well, yes, they probably should be lifted. Because imposing these sanctions was ridiculous. As for potash fertilizers, we sell them, even have growth. Yes, we lose a little on logistics, but we have gained our own ports during this time. I never thought that a port is a major deficit for a country. A terrible deficit and a great benefit.”
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