The leaders of the states took part in the inspection of training on the management of Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and then held an informal meeting at the Kremlin

By Veniamin Mikhalev

The importance of the Great Victory is based on the rescue of civilisation from the edge of destruction, and today it is openly said about the victory of the Soviet people. It was declared on May 8th, by Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow at an informal meeting of the Heads of State of Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. The leaders of the states took part in the inspection of training on the management of Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and then held an informal meeting at the Kremlin.

The President of Belarus said that planned training is evidence of that ‘Russia can defend itself, and has the armaments to deliver a blow to those who want to come on Russian territory and try to solve their own issues here’. Mr. Lukashenko noted that power of Russia in militarily respect is the protection of the interests of Belarus. From here it is the duty of CSTO on solidarity with Russia in the zone of responsibility of the organisation and joint actions on military exercises.

While opening the informal meeting, the President of Russia paid attention to the fact that it was held in advance of Victory Day. In his opinion, the Victory remains a powerful uniting factor for the people of former USSR.

Mr. Lukashenko in this connection noted, “Different attempts were undertaken to belittle the role of the Soviet people in this victory, our role, of our people, up to charges that we started this terrible tragedy in the middle of last century. Thanks to that we have rallied, we are not ashamed to talk about the victory, we directly underline that the victory and its importance lays in the fact that we rescued world civilisation from destruction...”

The President of Belarus reminded that in due time, discussing dangerous calls in the territory of CSTO, such countries as Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq were discussed. “It appears, that the world is so small and dynamic that this infection quickly spreads across the planet, and today already near the border of not only Tajikistan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, but also Belarus these unacceptable phenomena are revealed,” Alexander Lukashenko noted, meaning the situation in Ukraine.

Having paid attention to events in Odessa, the President of Belarus said, “In general it leads us to bad parallels. And I see on TV screens that these parallels have already appeared. We remember Khatyn, when several hundred villages in the territory of Belarus were burnt by fascists by such a principle... Similar action in any states is unacceptable and all the more will be unacceptable, if we just quietly watch it happening. Naturally, we cannot just watch, because these are our people. The situation in Ukraine has developed very quickly, and it warns us, as well as the absolutely inadequate reaction of our, if it is possible to call them, western partners. If it were just a diplomatic squabble… but people have died here, and the world community should act here unitedly, from position of concrete criteria which should be unequivocal...”

Mr. Lukashenko said, “We will stand by you in any situation... You, Vladimir Vladimirovich, should know that we will be near, shoulder to shoulder... We simply have no other way out as to be together. Staying one by one will lead to the situation that happens in Ukraine.”

At the meeting, they discussed actual questions of development of integration on the Eurasian space, and also the joint efforts within the limits of CSTO on the unconditional protection of their people.

At a bilateral meeting with Mr. Putin, Mr. Lukashenko suggested co-ordinated joint actions concerning Ukraine, “I will not lie; we are disturbed by what is happening in Ukraine. Not from the point of view that we are afraid of something, as others start to intimidate us here, but from the point of view of what is happening there, but because the events in Odessa are inadmissible... This crisis will not end tomorrow, and it directly influences both you, and us.”

The President of Belarus also suggested the discussion of a question of the so called sanctions concerning Russia from the West.

Vladimir Putin thanked Alexander Lukashenko for his visit to Moscow on the eve of Victory Day. The President of Belarus also congratulated the Russians on this holiday. Alexander Lukashenko considered that the Belarusian divisions, together with Russian, should march in parade on the Red Square on the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory.