Putin says Russia, Belarus will strengthen integration process in response to Western sanctions
Xinhua News Agency, Vladivostok, April 12 (Reporter Chen Chang) Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press conference held at the Vostok Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East on the 12th that Russia and Belarus will strengthen the integration process to Respond to Western sanctions.
According to the TASS news agency, Putin said at a joint press conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that the two countries should strengthen the integration process under the pressure of comprehensive Western sanctions.
Russia and Belarus will jointly respond to any attempt to hinder their development or artificially isolate them from the global economy.
When it comes to the situation in Ukraine, Putin believes that Belarus is a suitable platform for further negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
He said what happened in Ukraine was a tragedy and there was no alternative for Russia.
Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians are a triad.
He stressed that Russia's special military operation in Ukraine is proceeding as planned until all initially set objectives are achieved while minimizing losses.
Regarding Western sanctions against Russia, Putin expressed hope that Western rational thinking will prevail.
No one can close all doors and windows for Russia, he said.
Putin said the "Bucca incident" was fake news and that the Ukrainian authorities had deviated from the results of the negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey, bringing the situation to a dead end.
Lukashenko said the U.S. had instigated Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic states to confront Belarus.
In Russia's special military operation against Ukraine, what Belarus needs to do is not allow anyone to "shoot Russia in the back".
April 12 is Russian Space Day.
The presidents of Russia and Belarus arrived at the Vostok Cosmodrome by helicopter that afternoon and held talks.
During the meeting, Putin said that Russia will strengthen cooperation with Belarus in high-tech fields such as aerospace, and will cooperate in the development of new satellites and plasma engines for high-precision earth remote sensing.
In addition, Belarusian experts will also participate in the construction of Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome.