After a ten-year hiatus and days after reports on a planned ‘confederacy’ between Russia and Belarus, Washington and Belarus will soon host each other’s ambassadors.
United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale announced the move after meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday.
“Today is a historic moment in American-Belarusian relations. I am glad to participate in the declaration of our readiness to exchange ambassadors as the next step in normalizing our relations,” Hale told reporters, according to the Belarusian state-run news agency, BelTA.
This comes days after Russian media reported ‘confederacy’ plans to merge the Russian and Belarusian customs systems, trade and financial rules, and the energy market by 2021.
“The USA remains committed to supporting the sovereignty and independence of Belarus where next generations will have a successful future,” Hale said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Lithuania and Poland are discussing projects that could help Belarus reduce its energy dependence on Russia, Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis said on Tuesday.
“There are clear attempts to reduce those existing remains of Belarus' sovereignty," said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.
Read more: Belarusian-Russian 'confederacy' will have negative implications for Lithuania – FM Linkevičius
