Belarus hopes for a new stage in the relations with the United States, president Alyaksandr Lukashenka said at Wednesday’s meeting with Dr Michael Carpenter, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense.
According to Lukashenka, there have recently been positive trends in the relations between Belarus and the West, the United States, which may lead to a ‘new stage’. At the same time, he noted that the relations are ‘highly politicized’ and urged the sides to pay more attention to the economy and trade.
Read also: Russia’s airbase in Belarus may destabilize situation – Pentagon official
The Belarusian leader admitted his not being ‘overenthusiastic’ about the activation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the East.
“We cannot but respond to it because it happens near our borders,” Lukashenka said. Showing his reluctance to ‘demonize’ this process, however, he stressed that Belarus would be defending its territory and be fulfilling allied obligations vis-a-vis Russia in case of aggression.
The Belarusian President also commented on the role the USA might play in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“It is impossible to balance the situation here, I mean the situation in Ukraine and other trends, without the USA,” the Belarusian President said.
“If the United States want to stop the war in eastern Ukraine in the near future and make a few steps in this direction, the bloodshed will be stopped there,” the President of Belarus is convinced.
Belsat.eu, following BelTA
