MINSK, 7 February (BelTA) –The situation in the relations with Lithuania is difficult and is fraught with serious consequences for Lithuania, Belarusian President Aleksandr said in an interview with the VGTRK journalist, radio and TV host Vladimir Soloviev, BelTA has learned.
"Is the situation in the relations with Lithuania difficult?" the interviewer asked.
"It is, indeed," the president confirmed.
"There is a need to think about what to do, look for ways and talk with Russia to keep the prices comfortable," the journalist suggested, talking primarily about the transportation of potash fertilizers.
"We are talking. We have been talking with Russia for a long time," Aleksandr Lukashenko replied.
"Will Lithuania lose a lot?" Vladimir Soloviev asked.
"Lithuania can end up in a bad way," the Belarusian leader said. “They should not have started all this mess. Neither the United States nor Europe will help them out."
"Belarusian payments contributed 30% to their budget revenue. Now what? Do they think that the Europeans or the United States will compensate them for that? They will not. A new administration will come to power in the United States and will forget, as it usually happens, what the old one did and promised," Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
In this regard, the journalist also recalled that Lithuania's action against China. The president noted that it was not an independent decision of the Lithuanian government: "You know well who made them do it. Did they need it? They did not.”
When asked about options to redirect flows of Belarusian potassium chloride, the head of state noted that a proposal was made by the Ukrainian business to transship through the ports of Odessa. However, later the Ukrainians withdrew their offer.
"The business got scolded 20 seconds after they voiced the offer I guess?" the journalist asked.
"Indeed. In a few days," the president replied.
"Did you sincerely believe that they would be able to do it past the Americans?" said Vladimir Soloviev.
"I understand the trend, but I did not think that they would respond in that way," the Belarusian leader said. “Why? Because they understand that we will still find a way to ship the potassium anyway." Aleksandr Lukashenko hailed Russia's support in resolving the issue regarding the transshipment of Belarusian fertilizers through their territory.
