KIEV, September 26. /TASS/. Minsk won’t make friends against Moscow, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with Ukrainian media outlets on Thursday.
"We held a referendum, where four fifth of the population expressed support for good allied relations with Russia. This is why we have no intention to make friends against Russia. In fact, when we were going through tough times, only Russia and China offered us support," he pointed out.
"Our relations [with Russia] are different from yours. I understand why they are different," Lukashenko said.
At the same time, he emphasized that unlike Ukraine, "Belarus gets vital commodities from Russia, particularly hydrocarbons." "You produce a small amount, while we have nothing at all," he said.
Lukashenko pointed to his good relations with the Russian president. "I have no issues with the Russian president, we maintain good relations," he said, adding: "Though there are other issues that need to be resolved."
"As for Ukraine, we do have issues," the Belarusian leader noted.
Conflict in Donbass
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed on Thursday that his country was ready to join the effort of resolving the crisis in Donbass and send its peacekeepers there.
"We are ready to deploy peacekeepers, border guards and troops there if the two countries agree to this," Lukashenko told Ukraine’s media. "But this is a great problem for me to engage troops in the conflict," he stressed.
"We will act on the border the way the two countries — Ukraine and Russia — agree to," he noted.
Lukashenko recalled that he had often criticized former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko for doing nothing to stop the war in the country. "The war is underway on your land, you must iron out this problem," Lukashenko highlighted.
The Belarusian leader pointed out that the situation had changed in Ukraine, especially after the presidential election, and expressed hope to hold talks with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
"But you must know: we will neither enforce peacekeepers nor our mediation. If this is needed, we are ready to play a certain role. But your former president has rejected these offers," Lukashenko stressed.
Territorial integrity of Ukraine
The Belarusian president has come out for preserving the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
"It is sacrosanct for me: Ukraine must be united and indivisible," Lukashenko told the meeting with Ukrainian media on Thursday according to a report by the news agency BelTA.
"Any steps must be taken for putting an end to the war and for beginning the return of this territory [the east of the country] to Ukraine," Lukashenko said.
He recalled the Yugoslav conflict, which left the country dismembered. "Who stands to gain? It is easy to govern this way. Give thought to who will stand to gain from Ukraine not being Ukraine," Lukashenko said.
He recalled that he first met with people of Western Ukraine during his service in the army. "Listen, it was a wonderful experience: I’d never seen such decent and industrious people elsewhere. When I left the army and began to work in agriculture, I had very close relations with them and often invited them to take various jobs," Lukashenko said.
"True, they are more nationalistic. But are Russians not nationalistic in their attitude to their country? Or are we less nationalistic when the future of our country is at stake?" Lukashenko said.
"If the Ukrainian authorities really want to keep Ukraine united, I would’ve agreed to anything, including elections," he stated. "I would do everything for the sake of reaching that border and putting it under Ukraine’s control. True, the people there must be given guarantees. They say they are fighting for their land. I do not see a problem here. They might leave for Russia. There would be no repression. Any steps must be taken to put the war to an end."
Lukashenko made a reservation that he should not go into the details of this affair in order not to affect the interests of Russia and the United States. He merely expressed his opinion concerning Ukraine proper.
Crimea
Russia is unlikely to ever return Crimea to Ukraine, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told Ukrainian reporters on Thursday.
"I don’t think it will happen. The case is closed once and for all," Lukashenko said, as cited by the BetTA news agency.
Russia-Crimea reunification
After Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich was ousted in a coup in February 2014, mass protests erupted in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. On March 11, 2014, Crimea’s Supreme Council and Sevastopol City Council adopted a declaration of independence.
On March 16, 2014, Crimean authorities held a referendum on reuniting with Russia. Over 80% of voters participated in the plebiscite, most of them supporting the idea (96.7% in Crimea and 95.6% in the city of Sevastopol).
On March 18, 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the treaty on Crimea’s reunification with Russia and the Federal Assembly (parliament) approved the document on March 21. However, Kiev has so far refused to recognize Crimea as part of Russia.