/ / News
02.12.2011

Belarus shares Russia’s concern over US missile defenses in Europe

IVATSEVICHI DISTRICT, 2 December (BelTA) – Belarus shares Russia’s concern over the placement of US missile defense installations in Europe. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko made the statement during his working trip to Ivatsevichi District, Brest Oblast on 2 December, BelTA has learned.

He said Belarus shares Russia’s concern over the placement of missile defenses near the Russian border, “which means the Belarusian border. It is primarily our borders,” said the head of state. “We are now under the protection of Russia’s nuclear umbrella. If interests of the umbrella are damaged by any group, we feel the damage and it represents danger for us”.

“I share the concern because NATO armed forces near our borders are getting stronger,” said the Belarusian head of state.

In his words, the Belarusians and the Russians are people of the same tree, the same root. “Russians are not our enemies. We should always stay together with them to survive in this difficult world,” stressed Alexander Lukashenko. “We’ve had some issues in the past but now we understand that we need each other. Russia has understood that it cannot do without Belarus”.

Speaking about Belarusian-Russian military security cooperation, Alexander Lukashenko reminded that the two countries had formed a regional group of troops in the western direction with the Belarusian army as its core. “75,000 men here in Belarus. We get armaments at domestic Russian prices, we get modernized. They meet us half way. We use their firing ranges, train our people in their military universities. We are fully compatible and mutually related,” said the President.

Alexander Lukashenko made no comments when asked about the possibility of placing Russian missile systems Iskander in Belarus. “I will not speak about it for now. We are in negotiations with Russia in all areas. There are no topics to avoid. If necessary we will protect Smolensk Oblast, Pskov Oblast as if they were our lands and Russians will protect Belarus as if it were their native land,” concluded Alexander Lukashenko.