MINSK, June 19. /TASS/: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that the issues between both states are not catastrophic and can be solved.
Before the meeting, Lukashenko held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "We really did have an honest and kind conversation, although some think that tensions are sparked between us — this is not true, there are always some issues," the Belarusian leader noted. "I think we will solve them. These are not catastrophic issues."
"A spark is needed to start the engine, to move forward," Lavrov noted. "I absolutely agree," Lukashenko said. "This is how we see our relations. Both of us have enough issues. This pandemic has spotlighted many issues, many international issues, you see and understand this better than me. You are rife with political issues due to the approval of new amendments to the Constitution, and we have the presidential election." He noted that Russia and Belarus mirror each other "like brothers."
"So, if someone wishes to pit us against each other and worsen our relations, this won’t work," Lukashenko said. He added that both countries would be able to overcome several pandemics: economic-related, 'political,' oil- and gas-related and 'information' pandemics. "We will overcome this all. We can do it. We have discussed the issues of the pandemic. I see how the situation with the treatment of people in Russia stabilizes. He [Putin] offered me a new drug approved in Russia that has proven to be effective. We are using a Japanese version, but yours has been improved," Lukashenko said. He informed that he had ordered the Belarusian Health Ministry to import this drug from Russia.
For his part, Lavrov said that his visit to Belarus had been planned a month ago, but the epidemiological situation had changed these plans. "I am grateful for your hospitality and for the cooperation between our foreign ministries based on the plan approved by you and the Russian president. We will discuss our progress today. The work is going smoothly in all areas, in all international organizations," the minister said. He informed that on Friday a mutual visa recognition agreement between Russia and Belarus would be signed. "I think this will be well-received, contributing to our joint establishment of the Union State," Lavrov stressed.
