Shushkevich: Russia wants to gain profit, but it won’t save Lukashenka
- 5.03.2012, 11:27
The relations between Belarus and Russia will be more “pragmatic” after the Russian election.
“The outcome of Russia’s election was predictable. As for the further relations with Belarus, Putin has demonstrated several times he does not like Lukashenka. Nevertheless, they are politically like-minded people, so they are expected to be political friends because they pursue the same aims – to remain in power as long as possible,” Stanislau Shuhskevich, the first head of independent Belarus, comments on Russia’s presidential election results to charter97.org.
Shushkevich thinks “Russia will not demonstrate its open support for Lukashenka in his conflict with the West”.
“Putin cannot afford to look not intelligent, but he has people to give them orders – for example, Medvedev, who already showed it takes him a second to completely change his opinion on Lukashenka,” the politician is confident.
Stanislau Shushkevich thinks Russia will do everything to annex Belarus.
“Ahead of the Freedom Day, I’d like to remind Belarus does not understand it became independent de jure due to the existence of the Belarusian People’s Republic. If it had not been for it, the Belarusian Soviet Republic would not have been created and 5 or 7 western regions would have gone to the Russian Federation. The Belarusian People’s Republic was founded despite the German occupation. I think we have a good example of what should be done to remain independent.”
Russia will gain its profit from the conflict of Lukashenka and the West, but it will not help the Belarusian dictator, the first head of independent Belarus says.
“The West should be consistent. I have an impression that the Swedish Prime Minister shows unnecessary care of all EU citizens in Belarus. The embassies as they are now can protect them.
As for other fears, Lukashenka cannot move further to Russia. He has already given everything. We have Russian missile systems, Russian visas, he lives on Russian money. The problem is Lukashenka himself.”