WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik – 07th October, 2020) Russia‘s Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said in a television interview on Wednesday that he has been invited twice to the US State Department to discuss the political crisis in Belarus and was warned that Russia should not interfere in the country’s affairs.
“I have been invited twice to the State Department to discuss this topic. I was surprised by the Americans warning us not to interfere in the Belorussian affairs,” Antonov told the Russia 1 tv channel. “I said the same to our American colleagues: ‘Let’s give the Belarusian people an opportunity to determine themselves what they’ll do, with whom they’ll live, how they’ll act, how they’ll resolve the situation.'”
Antonov said Belarus was the issue of focus for US Deputy State Secretary Stephen Biegun during his visit to Moscow.
The Russian ambassador autioned US officials against “excessive enthusiasm” over the developments in Belarus.
Antonov noted that Russian diplomats are in contact with their colleagues from the Belarusian Embassy in Washington and are ready to help them in the face of a mounting pressure from the West.
Belarus has been experiencing political turmoil after the August 9 presidential election in which President Alexander Lukashenko was reelected for a sixth term. The country’s opposition did not accept the election result and has insisted its candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya won. Protests have since been taking place across the country.
Read More: Antonov Says Was Invited Twice To US State Department To Discuss Belarus