Russia at helm of transition to multipolar world, its influence ‘huge’ — Lukashenko

MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS/. Russia’s influence in the world is immense, as it leads the transition to a multipolar world, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said during a plenary meeting of the Second Eurasian Economic Forum.

"Russia must be proactive. Its influence, despite all the clamor you hear from the West against Russia in the mass media, is huge. Russia risked challenging the unipolar world. Russia is leading these developments," he said.

Lukashenko underscored that Belarus is side by side with Russia in this process.

"We must act - we must not rely on situational approach or on the current situation in the world - in the most peaceful and constructive sense of this concept. There will be an alliance of countries, united by their aspiration for economic and political stability, for ensuring a new architecture of international security," the Belarusian leader said.

The development of cooperation between the EAEU and BRICS and SCO countries would lead to the creation of the largest integrational association in the world.

"In our opinion, combining the efforts of the EAEU, the SCO and BRICS to integrate will facilitate the creation of the largest coalition of states, if we, as people say, don’t drop the ball and miss the bus," he said.

Lukashenko also stated that the US seeks to stop the development of cooperation between Russia and African states, adding that there is fighting going on for these states.

According to Lukashenko, the "center of the global economy is irreversibly shifting toward developing countries."

"Russia saw this, probably, earlier than anyone else, and initiated active contacts with African states. We also try to cooperate with them. Everyone rushed to Africa. And look at how the West and the US reacted today to Russia’s moves. The Russian Foreign Ministry and everyone else involved in politics know how the Americans try to stop this process and keep Russia out of Africa. But you are also quite aware that China is already there. Thus, there is a fight going on for these countries," he said.