MINSK, August 9. /TASS/. Western countries will never be able to tear Belarus away from Russia and win it over to their side, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday at a meeting with journalists and public activists.
"I simply wish our foreign representatives, who are present here, if they have anything human, try to understand what is going on here or at least stop meddling with our affairs. Don’t do it. If you have any interest, let us cooperate. If you don’t, just step away and leave us alone. You won’t be able to tear us away from Russia and win us over to your side," he said.
According to the Belarusian leader, before the August 2020 presidential elections, Minsk demonstrated readiness for cooperation with Western partners and they accepted this readiness. "Why have you suddenly gone mad in the West? We used to have normal relations with you and had perspectives to build these relations. But you have ruined it all with your own hands," he said.
He warned the West against attempts to set Belarus and Russia at odds. "We are in no way different from Russians. You should take it for granted," he added.