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Lukashenko says deployment of Russian bases to Belarus not raised at talks with Putin

The Belarusian president pointed out that any talks on the issue could be a gift for opponents

MINSK, April 24. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said that the issues of deployment of Russian military bases to Belarus was not brought up at his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

"We talked no bases. Why should Belarus set up a base if one is located in Smolensk, which is a three-minute flight from Bobruisk. Why should huge money be wasted?" the BelTA news agency said on Saturday citing the president.

According to Lukashenko, Belarus and Russia have clearly-defined strategies for action within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

"Our area of responsibility - of the Belarusian army - is the west. If there is an act of aggression against us, we have enough forces to contain it at first while Russia is rolling out in the rear. They have two or three armies there to back up the Belarusian army in that direction. That is our strategy. What do these bases have to do with that?" Lukashenko noted.

"And even if the bases. <...> Look, why do we bother about the fact that there will be somebody’s bases in Belarus - Russian, Chinese, Japanese or maybe somebody else’s? Whose bases are there in Germany? American. And whose bases are there in Poland and Romania? American," the Belarusian president said.

"Thus, you pull the wool over our eyes [claiming] that we are going to lose our independence, or whatsoever. You have already set them [the bases] up, you have them there. They are simply scared that we, God forbid, may not come to an agreement with the Russians and join our military efforts. But we haven’t even talked about it," Lukashenko said.

The Belarusian president pointed out that any talks on the issue could be a gift for opponents.

"For them to come out and shout in the streets that Russia has taken over Belarus. You see, the fighters for independence, and the hell knows where they sit," Lukashenko said.

"They have showed off what kind of independence they stand for and where they want to lead us. It is not Lukashenko who has drawn up plans to surrender Belarus, they are already betraying it. They fled there in due time," the Belarusian president said.

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Belarus Alexander Lukashenko

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