The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said today that the West must treat Russia "With respect"meeting with his Belarusian counterpart, Alexandr Lukashenko, in Sochi, a Russian resort on the Black Sea.
At the beginning of the meeting, which was not previously announced by the Kremlin, Lukashenko stressed that the future of Europe lies together with Russia and Belarus.
"Next to Russia, where there is everything they need. And they (European countries) have what we can buy from them: technologies and other things. What else do they need?"he inquired, according to images broadcast on state television.
To the words of his interlocutor, the head of the Kremlin added: "treat us with respect".
in today’s meeting Putin proposed to discuss, in addition to the situation in the region, economic issues, in particular joint plans in the field of food and fertilizers.
"Food, fertilizers… They are going to buy. They are already buying. Of course, it is more complicated (because of the western sanctions)… We find the ways and we sell. Prices have gone up, but we haven’t."Lukashenko said.
He thanked Putin for the invitation to meet in Sochi and expressed his confidence that in talks they will find "all the solutions".
"Our cause is just. Overcome! We have no other way out!, stressed the Belarusian president.
Lukashenko discussed with Putin the partial mobilization of reservists in Russia and downplayed the fact that young men flee abroad to avoid the call-up.
"Russia has the resources to mobilize 25 million, so let 30,000 or 50,000 flee (…). Run away, they’ll be back. You just have to decide what to do with them"said.
He added that he did not worry when in 2020 thousands of Belarusians left the country after the presidential denounced as fraudulent by the opposition and the international community.
"Most ask that we receive them back"Lukashenko noted.