All news

Growth of Belarus’ GDP amid sanctions is largely attributable to Russia, says Lukashenko

Lukashenko told Putin that he was personally grateful to him for the support of Belarus

ST. PETERSBURG, December 29. /TASS/. Despite sanctions, Belarus' GDP has grown this year, which is largely attributable to Russia, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said at a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

"The fact that we have increased our trade and our GDP has grown during this sanction year amid the pandemic is a great merit of the Russian Federation and our friends in the international arena, although to a lesser extent. I publicly, sincerely, thank you [the President of Russia] for this," the Belarusian leader said.

Lukashenko told Putin that he is personally grateful to him for the support of Belarus.

"I don’t want to flatter you. It’s not flattery. But the fact is that any proposal that we make, or a request - you give instructions to one person or another and they respond. Russian companies, the government, and banks cooperate, supporting us in this difficult time of sanctions. They continue to strangle us. Five packages [of sanctions] have been introduced, they are talking about the sixth package. Moreover, these sanctions are stupid and useless," the President of Belarus noted.

According to him, no matter how the relations between Minsk and Moscow develop, the Belarusian side will pay back.

"The Belarusians will be grateful. I think that we can still do a lot for you," Lukashenko noted.