Russian airbase in Belarus will hardly ease tension but raise ire at Minsk, Moscow - FM


In an interview with the Russian newspaper Kommersant Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makey challenged the wisdom of deploying a Russian airbase in the territory of Belarus.

No rosy expectations: Belarus-EU relations and the role of Moscow

“As the saying goes, time is a great healer. With the lapse of time, the EU realised that Belarus is not a puppet in anybody’s hands but an independent state that pursues an independent policy in the interests of the nation. We do not have any rosy expectations that all the doors will open tomorrow and that the European Union will meet Belarus with open arms. But there is a trend towards normalizing our relations.”

Russia-Ukraine war

“We have never tried to play to some party in order to damage the other. We are truly interested in peace and stability returning to our region, but not to the detriment of our relations with Russia. It may sound as a beaten phrase but three brotherly nations have lived together for centuries. And today it hurts to see this acute tension in the region, including between the two brotherly peoples. If two brothers have an argument, there should be a third party who will make efforts to reconcile them. Here, we have not just been playing the role of a mediator, but have been doing our best to help the people of Ukraine, including Donbas, to live in peace,” state-run news agency BelTA quotes the minister as saying.

Russian airbase in Belarus

According to Makey, it is ‘obvious’ that deployment of this airbase can hardly ease military and political tension in the region.

“On the contrary, the airbase would only cause irritation at both Minsk and Moscow. In addition, at the moment Belarus has enough airbases to accommodate hundreds of planes in just a few hours. That is why it would be more topically to us to speak about readiness to provide a swift response in case of growing tensions in the region or possible threats to Belarus’ and Russia’s security.”

Read also: No use deploying Russian airbase in Belarus – Defense Minister. Lukashenka still quiet

Belsat.eu, via TASS

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