Belarus leader urges CSTO countries to shape common policy for Ukraine
At a meeting with CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov on Monday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko called on the organization’s member-countries to present a common front and shape a single policy against the backdrop of the Ukrainian conflict, TASS reported, citing the BelTA news agency.
"If someone thinks that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia is not our conflict, that we will be able to just sit quietly somewhere, such people are wrong. Nothing like that will happen. The moment will come soon, not in a long while but literally tomorrow, for us to make up our mind and take a certain position," he said.
"I'm not saying that this is to be done to the detriment of national interests and so on, but given all the shortcomings of our alliance, we will have to clearly define our policy in order to act together," Lukashenko said. "Together it's always simpler and easier."
He stressed that compromises would have to be found within the CSTO, noting that in general, the countries were acting as a single organization.
"I think we will have to go through this difficult period, and that it will unite our organization even more on the principles that are crucial to and possible for each state," he said.
Lukashenko stressed that there are enough challenges today.
"We took a risk to pledge in our program that during our chairmanship we will try to solve the problems that we have. Especially on the borders of the CSTO member states. I've mentioned your experience for good reason. You have an excellent memory. You know both the Caucasus and Central Asia well enough. We have problems there. Let's try to resolve them and unite the Collective Security Treaty Organization in these difficult times as much as possible. You see what is happening along the perimeter."
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