Makei: Belarus wants to cooperate with EU but is not willing to join it

Photo: ria.ru
Photo: ria.ru

Our country wants to cooperate with the European Union but does not want to join it, Belarusian Minister for Foreign Affairs Uladzimir Makei said. Minsk is going to take a more active part in the work of integration associations like the Eurasian Economic Union in the post-Soviet territory, he told El País. At the same time, close cooperation with the European Union is strengthening the Belarusian economy and promoting the economic growth thus helping strengthen our sovereignty and independence. “We are not going to spoil relations with Russia because it is our ally and our main strategic partner but we want our economy to be more diverse,” Makei said.

Belarus’ image in the West is changing and our country is in a different situation now, the Minister stressed.