Meeting with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei

Belarus is ready to build relations with the European Union and the USA but without damaging national interests. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement as he met with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei on 28 July.

“We have recently noticed that the European Union and the USA have somehow started talking to Belarus albeit through gritted teeth. I would like to publicly underline that creating additional tensions in relations with the European Union is not part of our plans,” said the head of state. “We face enough tension as it is. We have to fix the situation but without damaging our country”.

The President remarked that these matters had been discussed during his meeting with heads of Belarusian diplomatic missions. “As a matter of principle, I have answered all the questions asked by the Foreign Ministry regarding in what direction we should take our relations with the European Union, what we can accept and what we cannot,” added Aleksandr Lukashenko.

During the working meeting Aleksandr Lukashenko and Vladimir Makei also raised matters concerning other directions of foreign policy and foreign trade efforts. In particular, the eastern vector of the Belarusian foreign policy was discussed. “Information about the Russian Federation, the state of our affairs in the eastern direction is the most important thing,” stressed Aleksandr Lukashenko. “Frankly speaking, reading some statements that we are between the West and the East in this regard amuses me. As if the god didn’t place us between the West and the East”.

“Being between the West and the East is our destiny. We build our relations and our stance bearing this fact in mind. We cannot avoid it,” said the President. “But it doesn’t mean that we are trying to sit on two chairs at once. It is unacceptable for us. It is not the foundation of our foreign policy and the economic doctrine”.

Participants of the meeting discussed the situation in Ukraine, the fulfilment of the president’s instructions to enhance economic cooperation with this country.

The head of state also asked the minister about foreign trade trends and changes particularly those regarding export.

On the whole, the President supported the Foreign Ministry’s plans to promote Belarus’ interests in various areas.