Foreign Ministry: accelerated militarisation of NATO's eastern flank poses serious threat to Belarus' national security
The accelerated militarisation of the eastern flank of NATO poses a serious threat to the national security of Belarus – as stated by Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik during a meeting of the board of the department focusing on the results of the Belarusian diplomatic bodies’ work in 2022
“Additional military contingents and equipment are being redeployed to Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, not to mention the construction of walls along the Belarusian border,” Mr. Aleinik said. “Under these conditions, we have clearly implemented the tasks set for the Foreign Ministry by the Head of State and the Government: to direct the main efforts to protect national sovereignty, to refocus the foreign economic activity taking this into consideration, to systematically counteract information, political and economic pressure, and to minimise the damage caused by sanctions against Belarus.”
According to the Foreign Minister, Belarus proceeded from the fact that the new realities are not only a platform for the struggle for survival: they create a window of opportunity. Moreover, it is a time now to rethink the priorities, to open new horizons and niches for interaction in the international arena.
“In 2022, we managed to make significant progress in the development of strategic allied relations with the Russian Federation, deepen integration within the framework of the Union State,” Mr. Aleinik said, adding that – within the framework of the EAEU and the CIS – the priority attention was paid to consolidating the positions of the member states on countering sanctions pressure, creating conditions for intensifying trade and economic co-operation, including in a bilateral format.
"Through the CSTO, we prepared a clear programme for our chairmanship in the organisation in 2023, and we will do everything possible to implement the priorities approved by the Head of State in this direction," Belarus’ Foreign Minister stressed.
