MINSK. March 5 (Interfax) - It's important to build a partnership and an alliance between Russia and the United States to keep peace on the planet, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said.
"An alliance of Russia and the United States is possible and crucial to keep balance on the planet and to avoid any incomprehensible fighting, like in the Middle East or in Ukraine, to avoid any conflicts," Lukashenko said in an interview with blogger Mario Nawfal posted on X.
He described Russia-U.S. relations as "an alliance aimed at economic development."
"It is possible and important. It will last for long," Lukashenko said.
He said he believed that Russia could be a U.S. ally, as it remained one of the strongest military powers not against anyone in particular, but in the world in general, he said.
"You [the U.S.] and Russia can unite against a common enemy only if it poses a threat to Russia and to you. Russia has no enemies now, and the United States largely does not have enemies either," Lukashenko said.
He called Russia's efforts to strengthen relations with the U.S. important and said he had no doubt that Russia wished to normalize relations with the U.S.
"The United States is the world's No. 1, a high-tech and rich state. It is capable of many things. Russia understands that. Russia will seek to establish very good relations with the United States," Lukashenko said.
At the same time, he warned the U.S. against attempts to divide Russia and China and to spoil their relations, because that would bring them closer together.
"If you start pressuring Russia to spoil its relations with China, you will achieve nothing. Quite the opposite, it would lead to a greater unity between them," Lukashenko said.
Instead, the U.S. should befriend China and Russia as much as it can because "if such a strong military power, a nuclear power equal to the U.S. unites with such a strong economic power as China, there is nothing you can do with this alliance," Lukashenko said.
The European Union can prosper only if it has good relations with Russia, Lukashenko said.
"Perhaps, Europe will have a good future only together with Russia. If the Europeans, the European Union had established good, normal relations with Russia, at least in the economy, they would have prospered," he said.
Lukashenko added he doubted that the U.S. would like friendly relations between Russia and EU members, as their division is more beneficial to it.