Regional News

Opinion: Dialogue between the youth is essential for Belarus-Ukraine friendship

The dialogue between the youth of Belarus and Ukraine is essential for promoting friendship between the two nations, Chairman of the Youth Parliament at Belarus' National Assembly Yegor Makarevich said as he met with members of the Ukrainian political party Opposition Platform - For Life representing self-governance bodies of Odessa Oblast of Ukraine, BelTA learned from the press service of the upper chamber of the Belarusian parliament.

“It is important that we are communicating despite all external circumstances and the current situation. Belarusians and Ukrainians are near neighbors who have common history and common present. And I am 100% sure that we will share a great future. Slavic peoples are one whole, they should not be separated,” Yegor Makarevich said.

In his opinion, the recent Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk festival also demonstrated that inter-ethnic harmony has been preserved regardless of all external impacts.

“First of all, we must keep in mind that we are a family, that we are together and we must find common ground. It is very important. The richer our countries are and the stronger our cohesion is, the better it will be for residents of our cities and our states. I have spoken up for Belarus more than once in Ukraine, and I believe that your country is independent and you can deal with your issues on your own,” member of the Odessa City Council Vladimir Korniyenko said.

The representative of the Odessa City Council is convinced that the countries bordering Belarus should first of all think about mutual economic benefits instead of interfering in political squabbles.

Yegor Makarevich drew attention to an important circumstance: “The Opposition Platform - For Life political party was one of the few to support Belarus in the Verkhovna Rada after the August events in our country; it also condemned the attempted coup and the attempted change of the constitutional order undertaken in our country. It is very important for us that today there is a sound political force and there are people who are ready to speak clearly on this issue.”

“For us, the majority of Belarusians, it is important that there are Ukrainian public figures who are ready to promote a dialogue between the youth of our countries,” the young parliamentarian summed up.

The parties discussed a wide range of issues of Belarus-Ukraine youth policy and expressed interest in further cooperation through public structures.

BelTA