MINSK. Aug 9 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has commented on the sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom on Belarus on Monday.
"Who will impose economic sanctions today? The United Kingdom? God forbid! Choke on these sanctions in the UK! We have not known this Britain for a thousand years and do not want to know it. American henchmen!" Lukashenko said in response to a question from a BBC journalist at a press conference on Monday.
"And you're imposing sanctions. We'll wait and see what this will lead to, if you don't come to your senses," he said.
The president called on everyone to calm down and begin talks.
"We need to calm down, take our heads in our hands and think about how to get out of this situation. Listen, you'll unleash a third world war. Why are you pushing us and the Russians to this? Do you want to win this war? There will be no winners, and if there are, it won't be you. Therefore, calm down. And while we're patiently enduring all of this, we'll sit down at the negotiating table and start talking about how to get out of this situation. Because we'll get bogged down so much that there will be no way back," he said.