MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2020) Russia and Belarus are forced to react to sanctions imposed by the European Union, and they coordinate the response measures, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told Sputnik.
According to Rudenko, officials from Russia's and Belarus' foreign ministries will focus on relations with the EU at their two-day talks, set to start on Wednesday.
"This is important amid sanctions that the EU imposes on our countries. Moscow and Minsk are forced to react, and they do it in a coordinated manner," Rudenko said.
Belarus has recently reduced its participation in the EU's Eastern Partnership initiative to the level of experts, the Russian diplomat recalled.
"This makes sense, as true partners do not impose sanctions," Rudenko noted.
Russia's deputy foreign minister expressed regret over the fact that opposition forces in Belarus call for new sanctions despite claims of "protecting interests of ordinary people."
"Leaders [of the opposition] propose to disconnect Belarus from the SWIF inter-bank payment system, to stop providing loans to state financial institutions, and to cancel the 2021 Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk. All this would damage the national economy, and affect the well-being of ordinary people and Belarus' image," Rudenko concluded.
