MINSK, 1 September (BelTA) - Russia has not become poorer as a result of the sanctions, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said when answering questions from the participants of the open lesson "Historical memory is the way to the future!" in Minsk on 1 September, BelTA has learned.
The head of state noted that energy prices have increased in the world against the background of current events. "Russia has not become poorer as a result of sanctions. Prices have spiked," he said. “India, China are provided [with oil]. We see the same in terms of other resources. Natural gas flows have been redirected to other regions."
The head of state noted that the Europeans themselves are suffering from the sanctions. "Take shower once a week, use wipes and reusable toilet paper," Aleksandr Lukashenko listed the recommendations given to EU residents in the face of rising energy prices.
"Yet they will persist with their policy harming their own people just to annoy us and the Russians. I don't know why they are doing this," the Belarusian leader said.
Answering one of the questions, the president also said that he has long established good relations with many Muslim countries, the Middle East and not only.
Another strategic partner is China. The head of state said that he proposed to actively develop relations with China while he was still an MP. Then this proposal was perceived by many with skepticism, but now Belarus is implementing many large and even unique projects with China, such as Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation. "China is an empire. Today it is competing with the main empire. We have a very close relationship with them. True, today we do supply them with as many products as they could consume. Because a huge premium marginal Russian market has opened for us," the president said.
