"We are not fanning tensions. Russia is not going to attack Poland, Lithuania, Latvia or Ukraine through Belarus. It's complete nonsense," said Lukashenko, speaking at a televised festive ceremony in the village Dozhinki, in Mosty (Grodno Region).
Lukashenko said, "no one is going to go to war from Belarus with neighbors and NATO without our knowledge."
"They have set the task to strangle us and Russia. Today, as they move on towards this aim, they are looking for a pretext to reproach us," said the Belarusian president.
According to Lukashenko, foreigners are happy to come to Belarus, "despite the lies being spread about the Belarusian state."
"I have said more than once that nations should not suffer due to the stupidity of their leaders," he stated. Lukashenko also recalled that Minsk responded to sanctions and restrictions on the entry of its vans, trains, airplanes and cars with visa-free travel for citizens of many countries.
"Already about a million people have been able to see for themselves that Belarus really has a dictatorship - a dictatorship of stability, security, order, kindness and hospitality. A dictatorship of justice," Lukashenko said.
He called for building relations in a neighborly manner.
"If you don't want to, it‘s fine with us. We will find other countries with whom we will develop cooperation. But if we turn our back on you, you will not come to us anymore," Lukashenko warned. "Unlike Western officials, we realize that whatever contradictions there may exist, even though we are on different banks, the most important thing is to be able to build bridges. We have always had it this way and will continue to do so."
RHM/