MINSK, January 21. /ITAR-TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday that Russia remains the most reliable friend of his country, which is always ready to extend its support.

“Russia would always lend us its shoulder, no matter how hard it can be,” Lukashenko said at a news conference with heads of leading Belarusian media on Tuesday.

Commenting on Russia’s decision in December to extend a loan of $2 billion to Belarus, Lukashenko said it was Russia and not the International Monetary Fund (IMF) responding to his country’s economic needs.

“It [the IMF] has loads of money…, but for political reasons they had openly stated that they cannot help us,” Lukashenko said.