MOSCOW, 9 October (BelTA) - Russia has always been more than a neighboring state for Belarus, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said after he received the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called from Russian President Vladimir Putin in an official ceremony in the Kremlin on 9 October, BelTA has learned.
“I, as well as all the presidents, including Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin] do not have high awards of our countries, because according to the Constitution we are the ones who bestow these awards and cannot present them to ourselves,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
According to the head of state, Belarus and Russia, including their leaders, have developed good, close and friendly relations. “These are close ties between our peoples, our states and special, personal relations between the two presidents. I cherish that much. I am really glad that we have reached such a level in our relations,” the Belarusian leader said.
“Thank you very much for this high award. I consider it as a recognition of the merits of the Belarusian people, consistently strengthening the unity with brotherly Russia. Russia has always been more than a neighboring state for our country,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
He stressed that Belarusians and Russians share the same historical roots, traditions and values, which are intertwined by an infinite number of ordinary human relations. “In general, we, Belarusians, Ukrainians, and Russians, grow from the same root. Our tree comes from one root,” the president added.
“The fact that we have preserved our basis is our main achievement. Today it underlies the huge potential of our cooperation. We have the foundation on which we can build even deeper relations between our states. In recent years we have significantly strengthened economic, cultural and spiritual ties, which our ancestors had been building for centuries,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
“I, as well as all the presidents, including Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin] do not have high awards of our countries, because according to the Constitution we are the ones who bestow these awards and cannot present them to ourselves,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
According to the head of state, Belarus and Russia, including their leaders, have developed good, close and friendly relations. “These are close ties between our peoples, our states and special, personal relations between the two presidents. I cherish that much. I am really glad that we have reached such a level in our relations,” the Belarusian leader said.
“Thank you very much for this high award. I consider it as a recognition of the merits of the Belarusian people, consistently strengthening the unity with brotherly Russia. Russia has always been more than a neighboring state for our country,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
He stressed that Belarusians and Russians share the same historical roots, traditions and values, which are intertwined by an infinite number of ordinary human relations. “In general, we, Belarusians, Ukrainians, and Russians, grow from the same root. Our tree comes from one root,” the president added.
“The fact that we have preserved our basis is our main achievement. Today it underlies the huge potential of our cooperation. We have the foundation on which we can build even deeper relations between our states. In recent years we have significantly strengthened economic, cultural and spiritual ties, which our ancestors had been building for centuries,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
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