MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/. The Kremlin will not send any signals to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to prompt him to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and Crimea’s being part of Russia, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.
"Apparently, our ally and partner will make a decision independently when he thinks it appropriate," he said, adding that the Belarusian leader is fully aware of the real state of things around Crimea’s, Abkhazia’s and South Ossetia’s status.
"Obviously, there is no need for additional signals," Peskov noted.
In his words, "there is a situation de jure and de facto." "There are Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which have been recognized by Russia, and we have diplomatic relations with them. There is the Russian region of Crimea, an inseparable part of the Russian Federation," he said, adding that this is the reality Lukashenko "is fully aware of."
In an interview with the Solovyov Live YouTube channel earlier, Lukashenko said he did not rule out that Belarus may recognize Abkhazia’s and South Ossetia’s independence. In his words, it will happen as soon as he sees the necessity of such a step and when Russian President Vladimir Putin tells him about it. As for Crimea, the Belarusian leader said he would recognize it as part of Russia as soon as Russia’s last oligarch does it and begins business in it.