MINSK, 3 September (BelTA) – The NATO bloc has made a number of unfriendly steps towards Belarus. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the relevant statement as he met with Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Mishustin on 3 September, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “You can see what is going on near us. We see what is going on around Russia. We were forced to respond to NATO's unfriendly steps near our borders. All the evidence is available despite their excuses – the redeployment of American army units, other units from the depth of their NATO territory towards the Belarusian border, particularly F-16 aircraft. I think they have redeployed either 16 or 18 aircraft.”
“We've deployed virtually half of the Belarusian army. We've actually taken control of the western borders with Lithuania and Poland. And as I often say, we've virtually surrounded Grodno in order to stand up against these threats. Maybe this demonstration has produced results,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
He stressed that there will be no calm life but Belarus is resolved to defend its sovereignty and independence.