Lukashenko: Belarus has de facto recognized the status of Crimea, DPR and LPR

“We cooperate with them and do not hide it.

That is, we de facto recognized that there is Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk,” BelTA quotes him.

He noted that if necessary, Belarus will recognize Crimea, the DPR and the LPR by presidential decree.

At the same time, he believes that at present "it will not give anything additional."

Earlier, the Kremlin said that they did not see the need for signals from Lukashenka on the recognition of Crimea, noting that the Russian ally and partner would independently make a decision when it considered it appropriate.

Crimea became a Russian region after a referendum held there in March 2014, in which the majority of the inhabitants of the peninsula spoke in favor of reunification with Russia.