04:42Russia: Lavrov suggests making mediation proposals directly to Minsk, not 'through a microphone'
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Belarusians against repeating the Maidan 2014 scenario in Ukraine in the context of the latest proposals of Lithuania and Poland, speaking to 'Russia-1' TV channel in Moscow, on Wednesday.
Lavrov noted that Russia is concerned about the situation and is worried about the external players who are trying to use the internal difficulties of Belarus in order to impose their 'profitable rules'.
The foreign minister drew attention to the statements of several EU countries about the situation in Belarus.
"What we hear now from European capitals, first of all from the Baltic States (Lithuania, Estonia), but also from Poland, the European Parliament - it is not about Lukashenko, human rights and democracy. This is all about geopolitics," he said.
Lavrov expressed his hope that Belarus will be able to sort out its own internal political affairs and will not fall prey to a destructive logic according to which "you're either with Russia or with Europe."
Lavrov stressed that recent events in the republic should not be used to undermine the dialogue between the authorities and society.
"We see openly provocative appeals on video materials and in social networks. We see how law enforcers are being tried to provoke, including by using brute force against them', the minister said.
04:42Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Belarusians against repeating the Maidan 2014 scenario in Ukraine in the context of the latest proposals of Lithuania and Poland, speaking to 'Russia-1' TV channel in Moscow, on Wednesday.
Lavrov noted that Russia is concerned about the situation and is worried about the external players who are trying to use the internal difficulties of Belarus in order to impose their 'profitable rules'.
The foreign minister drew attention to the statements of several EU countries about the situation in Belarus.
"What we hear now from European capitals, first of all from the Baltic States (Lithuania, Estonia), but also from Poland, the European Parliament - it is not about Lukashenko, human rights and democracy. This is all about geopolitics," he said.
Lavrov expressed his hope that Belarus will be able to sort out its own internal political affairs and will not fall prey to a destructive logic according to which "you're either with Russia or with Europe."
Lavrov stressed that recent events in the republic should not be used to undermine the dialogue between the authorities and society.
"We see openly provocative appeals on video materials and in social networks. We see how law enforcers are being tried to provoke, including by using brute force against them', the minister said.