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Poroshenko upbeat about relations with Belarus

There are absolutely no problems in relations between Ukraine and Belarus for the first time in many years, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said while meeting with Alyaksandr Lukashenka prior to a “Normandy Four” summit in Minsk.

“Bilateral relations between Ukraine and Belarus are at the highest level today,” Mr. Poroshenko said, according to the Belarusian leader’s press office.

Mr. Poroshenko emphasized the importance of the talks in Minsk, aimed at negotiating a political solution to the bloody crisis in Ukraine. “I’m sure that the eyes of the whole world are riveted to Minsk today,” he said, expressing hope that the summit would result in the de-escalation of tensions in the conflict zone, the withdrawal of weapons from the Ukrainian territory and an end to violence. He warned that the situation in Ukraine might spiral out of control if the talks failed.

Mr. Lukashenka assured the Ukrainian president that Belarus would do everything within its powers to secure a peaceful settlement in Ukraine. He said that Belarus was keeping all its promises to the Ukrainian people and would stay true to its words in the future.

According to Mr. Lukashenka, he has talked to Mr. Poroshenko many times in recent months, discussing a whole range of issues, not limited to the situation in Ukraine. He expressed satisfaction with trends in bilateral trade, noting that Ukrainian companies was placing a very large number of orders with suppliers in Belarus. // BelaPAN