Lukashenko says Belarus can get by without Russian oil

13:39, 03.02.2017 1 min read

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said his country can get by without Russian oil and will not sacrifice its freedom and independence for the sake of that oil.

"Why be so unsettling, why go for our throat? Clearly, we will get by without Russian oil. It will be very difficult for us," Lukashenko said at a meeting with journalists in Minsk.

But freedom and independence "cannot be valued by any amount of money, not any figures," he said.

"It is absolutely incompatible, to have independence on one side of the scale and Russian, Iranian, Azerbaijani or American oil on the other," he said.

"We will find a solution come what may. Unfortunately, this is not understood in Russia," Lukashenko said.