Lukashenko calls Belarusians, Russians, Ukrainians core of Eastern European civilization
MINSK. July 21 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he considers the Belarusians, Russians, and Ukrainians the core of the Eastern European civilization.
"The Russians, Ukrainians and us are the core of the civilization in this part of Europe," the Belarusian presidential press service cited Lukashenko as saying at a meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Kyiv on Friday.
The Belarusian president said he had visited the Holodomor museum prior to negotiations, and a guide spoke about the Belarusians' attitude to Ukrainian residents during that difficult time: "they went to Belarus, and the Belarusians shared last things they had."
"This is the call of ancestors saying that we should help each other, we should always be together. This is the crucial thing. Not even those contracts, although they are important. It forms the basis of our relations. And I am grateful to you for paying serious attention to it. You made it the foundation of our relations. And everything else will follow," Lukashenko said.
The governments of two countries have done much to implement the achieved agreements since his meeting with Poroshenko this April, Lukashenko said.
"Those regular meetings are always beneficial to the development of our countries' economies as well. You can be certain that if we know how do something and are able, we will do it for our Ukraine," the Belarusian president said.
Poroshenko, for his part, noted the Belarusian president's friendly attitude towards Ukraine. He expressed interest in the development of cooperation with Belarus in various directions, including economics, culture, and the social sector.
"I am grateful that you have brought a very representative delegation and expect that today we will outline new formats, new road maps, new steps and benchmarks, which will facilitate increasing our efficient cooperation further," the Ukrainian president said.
Lukashenko is paying an official visit to Ukraine on July 20-21.
