MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. There is no reason for the West to be concerned by the joint exercises of Russia and Belarus, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Wednesday.
"I assure you that there are no grounds for concern over these exercises. We should focus on diplomacy," he said commenting on the statement that the joint exercises of Russia and Belarus are allegedly preparation for an invasion of Ukraine.
"We have the Union State with Belarus, there are appropriate plans, these plans should be fulfilled. Various kinds of events are held, among these events there are sudden inspections, and much more. My colleague, [Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander] Fomin gave a comprehensive response, including to representatives of military attaches of a number of countries, about what is happening."
"I keep saying that we are ready for a dialogue and looking for a political solution. I reiterate that. The leadership of our country is committed to seeking a comprehensive solution to these problems without delay, which would strengthen, first of all, our security, but overall would serve to strengthen stability on a larger scale," Ryabkov added.
A senior US State Department official said at a briefing on Tuesday that upcoming the joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises would allegedly allow Russia to attack Ukraine from the north. The State Department also expressed concerns that the constitutional referendum in Belarus would allow the deployment of Russia’s troops and nuclear forces, which would pose a threat to European security.