"The main thing is that destructive forces do not take advantage of the problems": Putin and Lukashenko discussed the situation in Belarus

On Saturday, August 15, on the initiative of the Belarusian side, a telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko took place. The heads of state discussed the state of affairs in Belarus after the presidential elections in the country.

According to the Kremlin press service, both leaders expressed confidence that all the problems that have arisen will be resolved soon.

“The main thing is that these problems are not taken advantage of by destructive forces striving to harm the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries within the framework of the Union State,” the Kremlin stressed.

The parties also positively assessed the close cooperation of the relevant departments of the two states on the return to Russia of the 32 citizens of the Russian Federation previously detained in Belarus.

"It was agreed to continue regular contacts at various levels and confirmed the disposition to strengthen allied relations, which fully meets the fundamental interests of the fraternal peoples of Russia and Belarus," the Kremlin said.

Earlier on Saturday, Lukashenka, during a working meeting in Minsk, announced his intention to discuss the situation in Belarus with the Russian president.

“In fact, according to the scenario, aggression against Belarus is unfolding. We need to contact Putin, the president of Russia, so that I can talk with him now. Because it is already a threat not only to Belarus, ”he said.

Speaking about the socio-political situation in the country, Lukashenka demanded not to "lull the authorities with peaceful actions and demonstrations."

“We see what is happening in the depths. We see this very well. And then, we read the manuals of color revolutions. Moreover, elements of external interference have already appeared in the textbooks of color revolutions, ”Lukashenka said.

The head of state also touched upon the topic of strikes at a number of enterprises in the country and called on their leaders to meet with collectives and answer workers' questions. In addition, Lukashenko said that the new government of the republic has basically been formed.

“Maybe there will be some nuances. I just spoke with (Prime Minister - RT ) Roman Golovchenko. He is in place, working, everyone is ready to work. So the government is functioning. It is necessary to formalize this so that it has legal force. Therefore, the decree must be worked out and submitted immediately, ”Lukashenka said.

The head of state recalled that the government traditionally resigns after the election of the president, and instructed, as soon as possible, to prepare the necessary documents that will allow the Cabinet to fulfill its duties until its final composition is formed.

• Lukashenka announced his intention to talk with Putin

EU sanctions against Belarus

Earlier it became known that the foreign ministers of the European Union countries agreed to impose sanctions against the Belarusian authorities in connection with the situation in the republic. According to the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia Ivan Korchok on Twitter, individual restrictions will be applied to those responsible for the violence against peaceful demonstrators and "rigging elections."

An unscheduled meeting of the heads of the foreign affairs agencies of the EU countries was held on August 14 in the format of a video conference. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, announcing the meeting, also announced his intention to develop a set of sanctions against those guilty of violence against the citizens of Belarus.

“The EU does not recognize the election results. Work is underway to prepare sanctions against those responsible for the violence and fraud, ”Borrell said.

According to Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputovich, the majority of the foreign ministers of the EU countries spoke in favor of the relevant decision. He said that, in the ministers' opinion, restrictions on some government officials in the republic cannot harm society.

The decision of the heads of the EU foreign ministries was supported by the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, who earlier spoke in favor of additional sanctions against “those who violated democratic values ​​and human rights” in Belarus.

“It is good that the heads of the foreign ministries agreed to develop additional sanctions against those on whom responsibility lies. Europe must actively promote its values, ”she wrote.

Czech Prime Minister Andrei Babis also called for restrictive measures. In his opinion, they should act until “free and transparent elections with the participation of international observers are held in Belarus”.

On August 12, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said that Vilnius, together with Latvia and Poland, are ready to mediate in the situation in Belarus, and called on Minsk to abandon the use of violence against citizens, release the detainees and resume dialogue in society. He added that if the republic rejects this proposal, sanctions may be imposed on it both by individual countries and at the EU level.

It is worth noting that the United States has previously announced its intention to impose restrictions on Belarus. In particular, US Senator Lindsay Graham called on President Donald Trump, the European Union and other countries "to use the powers to impose sanctions in order to hold the Lukashenka regime accountable for the violence against protesters and the holding of rigged elections."

“As facts become available, it becomes clearer that flagrant cases of human rights violations against protesters in Belarus have already taken place. Working with both Republicans and Democrats, I will look for additional ways to hold the Belarusian government accountable for organizing fraudulent elections, ”he wrote on Twitter.

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The situation in Belarus

Mass protests began in Belarus on the evening of August 9 after the preliminary results of the presidential elections held that day in the republic became known. Citizens, dissatisfied with the organization and the results of the vote, went to the rally, which escalated into riots and clashes with the police.

According to media reports, the total number of people detained in the first five days of the riots exceeded 7,000. On August 14, the country's Interior Ministry reported that more than two thousand detainees had been released.

Also in the media and social networks there were statements of Belarusian citizens who were released after being in the temporary detention facility. According to them, law enforcement officers beat people without any reason, and also placed ten or more detainees in cells designed for four people.

The chairman of the upper house of the Belarusian parliament, Natalya Kochanova, said that the president of the country, Alexander Lukashenko, instructed to sort out the situation with the mass arrests during the protests.

On August 14, the country's CEC published the final results of the elections. According to the data released by the CEC, Alexander Lukashenko won (80.1% of the vote). For his main opponent Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, according to the Belarusian election commission, 10.1% of the election participants voted. The losing candidates refused to recognize the results of the vote, declaring their intention to appeal them to the Supreme Court.