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"On Point"
MINSK, 8 May (BelTA) – Belarus clearly separates the position of the United States from that of European countries, Andrei Bogodel, Deputy Head of the Faculty of Education and Science – Head of the Education and Methodology Department of the Faculty of the General Staff of the Armed Forces at the Military Academy of Belarus, said in the latest episode of BelTA’s V Teme [On Point] project.
“In my view, our head of state draws a clear distinction between the position of the United States and that of European countries. The USA is a nation with which we are engaged in talks and with which we share certain mutual interests,” Andrei Bogodel said. “While we distinguish between the USA and Europe, we say that our doors remain open to the European Union as well. At the same time, it must be emphasized that this isn’t about trying to have it both ways. The vectors of our efforts are clear, and they are mainly in the East.”
Speaking about Belarus’ relations with the United States, the expert noted that the Belarusian head of state has not changed his attitude towards U.S. President Donald Trump. In a recent interview with RT TV channel, Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “As you know, I am the only president in the world who openly supported Trump. And I said: ‘I am a Trumpist.’ Despite all his shortcomings, I do not abandon him. I know that any meeting with him would be beneficial.” According to Andrei Bogodel, this stance is radically different from that of European leaders, who make contradictory statements towards the United States, especially against the backdrop of events in the Middle East.
“We do not change our position. A politician’s word must be cast in stone. The same cannot be said for European politicians, who keep shifting their stance depending on the ‘weather’ or whether Trump has stumbled or not,” he remarked ironically.
The expert pointed out that in an interview with the RT TV channel, the Belarusian leader stated that Washington now has a favorable opportunity to establish a dialogue with Moscow, and recalled the president’s words: “You need to come to an agreement with Russia, and you can do it, especially during Putin’s presidency. He is the kind of person with whom you can not only talk, but actually reach agreements. But you must clearly understand: if you promise something, you must deliver.”
“Most likely, this phrase [if you promised, deliver] is a reference to the well-known ‘spirit of Anchorage’ [referring to the meeting between the Russian and U.S. presidents in Alaska] that everyone is talking about. By the way, our head of state played a significant role there. We remember the call Trump made from his plane to get in touch with our president,” Andrei Bogodel emphasized. “As I understand it, Belarus and Russia have fulfilled their part of the deal. Now it is up to the United States. And in politics, let’s be honest, the word of a global leader must carry some weight.”
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