Ukraine's association agreement with EU will damage Russia more - Lukashenko
MINSK. Oct 21 (Interfax) - The Customs Union's member-states will be ready to defend their economic interests from possible negative consequences if Ukraine signs an association agreement with the European Union, said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
"I don't think this will damage us [Belarus] worse than Russia. The worst damage will be suffered by Russia," Lukashenko told top media executives from countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Minsk on Monday.
Work is underway to assess the damage the agreement can bring after it is signed at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, he said.
"We will defend ourselves together, in a classical manner, using the Customs Union's capabilities, if we find this necessary: we will introduce protective industrial and customs barriers on individual goods," Lukashenko said.
He said "public work" connected with the signing of Ukraine's association agreement with the European Union is over, and the all countries have been informed about each other's positions. "Now we need to sit down quietly and decide what we will have to do next. There are no unsolvable problems," Lukashenko said.
"It is a simple task for us - Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan: we must defend ourselves," he added.
Lukashenko also said that the Customs Union members are actually working in conditions typical of the World Trade Organization. "Our current level of protection is some 9%, and Ukraine's 4.5% and will be 2.5% [after the agreement is signed]. But this will last just about 5-6 years, and then everything will level out again," the Belarusian president said.
