A. Lukashenko: Belarus and the West must overcome disagreements through dialogue, not sanctions and bans

May 8, Minsk /BelTA/. Belarus and the West should overcome disagreements through dialogue, not sanctions and bans. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated this today, addressing the Belarusian people and the National Assembly, BelTA correspondent reports. "Yes, we have different views on certain issues of societal organization. But these disagreements should be overcome through dialogue, negotiations, not sanctions and bans. The sanctions policy is mistaken primarily because it is useless and fruitless," the head of state believes. Alexander Lukashenko stressed that Belarus harbors no hostility towards either the European Union or the United States. "Because we primarily see what unites us, not what divides us. And at the same time, we look to the future," he added. The President confirmed that the European Union is one of the most important vectors for Belarus. "Economically, and politically, Belarus and the European Union are important partners for each other. In terms of exports, the European Union is our number one partner, and in terms of overall trade turnover, it is number two after Russia," the head of state said. "One hundred million tons of cargo transported by rail, road, and air through Belarus in the West-East direction and back, 70% of Russian oil and a third of natural gas pumped to European countries through Belarusian territory – all this firmly binds us to Europe, in the center of which we are located," the President noted. He added that one should not forget about other important areas of interaction – combating illegal migration, drug trafficking, smuggling, including the illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials and weapons, and maintaining secure borders. -0-