Lukashenko says Belarus will not act to the detriment of fraternal Russia

Belarus will seek a way to normalize relations with the West on an equal footing, but it will not replace Russia with any other country in the world, President Alexander Lukashenko said.

"We have common borders with the West and do not want any clashes - neither political, diplomatic, half of our trade is there. If the West extends the hand of cooperation to us, it is necessary to take advantage of it. We will seek to normalize relations with the West. If they want to cooperate with us on an equal footing and give signals to this, we will take these signals," he said during the presentation of Alexander Kosinets as head of the presidential administration.

The Belarusian leader said that for Belarus, no country in the world is a substitute for Russia. "Belarus will not act to the detriment of brotherly Russia," he said.