Lukashenko: Ukraine crisis has helped me improve relations with West

European Union alien preachers takes the choice on Monday, diplomats said, ending a couple weeks of inauspicious dialogue to retort to his forgiving of 3 caged following inmates in August and website hosting of serenity dialogue for Ukraine in February.

He said Belarus needed planes, not bases at the moment, adding that he had not discussed it with anyone.

“I feel surprised and, to a few extent, angry and annoyed by that”, he said.

In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a government proposal to sign a deal for the military air base, and ordered officials to start talks on the issue with Belarus.

“We don’t need a base today”, Mr Lukashenko was quoted as saying by Belarusian media on Tuesday. The two countries have close political, economic and military ties, and Belarus depends on Russian energy and other subsidies.

The Belarusian leader hinted Tuesday that Moscow might want to establish the base to try to hamper Belarus’ efforts to warm up ties with the West. “Maybe they are concerned we might be actually going westward?”

On Sunday, hundreds of Belarusian activists held a protest rally in the capital Minsk against the Russian plan.

Lukashenko, who has been in power in the ex-Soviet republic since 1994, is standing for what will be a fifth consecutive term in office.