Belarusian independence important to Kyiv, not names of leaders - Ukrainian FM

KYIV. Aug 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Ukraine does not accept the use of violence against protesters and cares about the existence of an independent and democratic Belarus, rather than the names of Belarusian leaders, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said.

"Ukraine categorically rejects the use of violence against protesters. Ukraine is a country which deems the right to protest to be practically sacred. An independent, democratic Belarus is of paramount importance to us, while the name of the person in charge of such a Belarus is secondary," Kuleba said at a joint press briefing with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas following talks in Kyiv on Monday.

Kuleba said he discussed the situation in Belarus with his German colleague and said that Kyiv and Berlin have a shared position: they strongly condemn the violence and believe that the situation can be resolved through national dialogue.