Meeting with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Dr Michael Carpenter

  • 1
The Republic of Belarus is interested in continuing an open and constructive dialogue with the USA, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Dr Michael Carpenter on 30 March.

Recently there have been some positive trends in the relations between Belarus and the United States. Aleksandr Lukashenko believes that it will be a stage in bilateral cooperation. The Belarusian President noted that the relations between Belarus and the Western countries are highly politicized. We should pay more attention to the economy, to the trade and economic relations with the United States, with the European Union. It would lay the foundation for building good relations on all fronts.

The meeting focused on the situation in Eastern Europe in general and in Ukraine in particular, possible ways to regulate the conflict in this country. The American side was interested in the opinion of the Belarusian leader on the matter.

Aleksandr Lukashenko suggested involving the United States of America in the regulation of the Ukrainian crisis; the time showed that the Belarusian head of state was right. “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.

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, Belarus values the international opinion regarding its role in the Ukraine settlement. The head of state assured that the Belarusian side will always be committed to the principles of peace because Belarus does not need a war in Ukraine. “There have never been any threats to Ukraine from our land, our territory and never will be. We pursue the peace-loving policy and will do our best to normalize the situation in Ukraine,” the President underlined.

“Our military doctrine is purely defensive,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “We will never ever attack anyone or use weapons against any country. “We will never fight on someone else’s territory because we are committed to a defensive military doctrine.”

The head of state remarked that Belarus is a member of the CSTO. The country fulfill its obligations as an ally of Russia.

The Belarusian side is not overenthusiastic about the activation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the so-called promotion of NATO in the East. “We cannot but respond to it because it happens near our borders,” the Belarusian leader said. He added that he does not want to demonize or exaggerate this process. Aleksandr Lukashenko does not think that NATO is going to fight Russia or Belarus. “It is impossible and unnecessary in the current conditions,” he noted.

Besides, the Belarusian head of state is convinced that neither the USA nor Europe needs another conflict in the Eastern European region. “I believe, and it is declared in the policy of the USA, that America absolutely wants peaceful and independent Belarus,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized. The President believes that the United States of America want peace and accord in Europe.