MINSK, September 6. /TASS/. Belarus will never turn its back on Russia, but expects Moscow to support Minsk in difficult times, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told reporters in the Belarusian city of Brest on Friday.

"As for Russia, we are one nation, I have said this a thousand times. These are our people, our brothers. We have always been together, they have always lent us a helping hand. And even though we sometimes have issues with Russia, they are not with the Russian people," the BelTA News Agency quotes him as saying.

According to Lukashenko, Russians hold the highest of opinions on Belarusians. "Why should we treat them badly, turn our backs on them, betray them as certain people suggest. This will never happen. Even without me, it will never happen," the president said. "Belarusians will not allow anyone to betray our elder brother. But we demand that our elder brother be our elder brother. [We demand that] they do not ostracize us, do not bend us and support us in difficult times."