{"id":164450,"date":"2025-11-17T15:56:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T12:56:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/164450\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"lukasenka-slams-eu-neighbors-at-meeting-with-russian-governor","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/164450\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0141uka\u0161enka slams EU neighbors at meeting with Russian governor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Belarusian leader's press office)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

November 17, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka criticized Belarus\u2019 European Union neighbors during a meeting in Minsk with Yury Sliusar, the visiting governor of Russia\u2019s Rostov region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Lithuanians are screaming and ranting: open the border.<\/em> We have not closed it. And we have never mistreated the Poles, Lithuanians or Latvians. These are our neighbors\u2014what can we do?\u201d he said, according to his press office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka was referring to the Lithuanian government\u2019s October 29 decision to keep the shared border closed until November 30 following multiple airspace violations by cigarette-smuggling balloons launched from Belarus. In response, Minsk banned more than 1,265 Lithuanian trucks from leaving Belarus and directed them to guarded parking lots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian ruler expressed hope that new governments in neighboring countries would adopt a friendlier stance toward Belarus and Russia. \u201cLife will force them. New people will come to power who will see interests in Belarus and Russia, as it was before. Why did they lose these markets? Why did they lose such a good relationship?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka also emphasized the importance of Belarusian-Russian unity. \u201cPressure from outside is colossal\u2026 That is why we must hold on to what we\u2019ve got. Belarus and Russia have been and will be together. No one will be able to break our unity, whoever wants this. The people will not let it happen,\u201d he said, underscoring the significance of economic ties between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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