Informal CIS summit

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko took part in the informal CIS summit.

The meeting took place in Konstantinovsky Palace in St Petersburg.

At the entrance to the palace the Belarusian head of state answered reporters’ questions.

The reporters asked Aleksandr Lukashenko about his vision of a way out of the current international situation. “Why do we have to seek a way out of some international situation?” he responded. “We should not be the ones to seek a way out. We did not get stuck in it and do not intend to recover from it with some effort. They should be the ones to look [for an exit] from this international situation.”

The president pointed out that the reporters did not have all the information about what is going on. “They have been looking for a way out for a long time already,” he said.

One of the questions addressed to the president was about the security of the western borders of the Union State of Belarus and Russia in the current international situation.

“You have heard their recent statements about sharing nuclear weapons with Poland. We will think it over. We have already discussed it, but we will think again how to respond. Do not worry, everything will be all right,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.

Journalists also asked the Belarusian head of state what present he brought to Vladimir Putin who celebrated his birthday on 7 October.

“What have you brought as a gift, if not a secret?” the journalists asked the president.

“A tractor,” Aleksandr Lukashenko replied.

Answering a clarifying question about which tractor exactly, the president said: “The one that I use, which is a BELARUS tractor. The best one, hand-made.”

“With all attachments?” the journalists kept asking.

“There are a million of them, you know. Therefore, this is optional. But I will offer him one attachment - a seeder attachment. We will sow grain, maybe something else. It is multi-purpose. We will grow food, so that Duda, Morawiecki [Polish leadership], Europe will not starve and will not steal bread from Ukraine, but bring it to poor countries,” Aleksandr Lukashenko replied.

While talking to journalists, Aleksandr Lukashenko also noted that he had come to the summit in a Russian car AURUS.

As he welcomed participants of the meeting, Vladimir Putin remarked that they represent countries, which are the closest friends and allies of Russia due to a huge number of circumstances and historical reasons. “We are connected by relations of genuine strategic partnership with them. We are intent on working together with them to build cooperation in the spirit of good neighborhood, mutual benefits, and accommodation of each other’s interests. Such informal meetings of CIS leaders in Russia’s northern capital are becoming a good tradition and allow exchanging opinions about the matters that are most topical for all of our countries in a calm and friendly setting,” the Russian president said.

In particular, he mentioned the possibility of comparing notes ahead of the annual full-fledged session of the CIS Heads of State Council, which is due in Astana next week.

Aleksandr Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin continued meeting one-on-one after an informal summit of the CIS heads of state ended in St Petersburg. The meeting lasted for about one hour. The Belarusian leader went to the airport afterwards.