President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko talked about Crimea in an interview with RIA Novosti.

“If the President has already arrived there [Crimea-ed.]…with the President of Russia. Listen, what other recognition can we talk about? It’s crystal clear, as they say in Russia,” he said.

According to the Belarusian president, his visit to the peninsula will mean recognition of Crimea as a territory of Russia.

“It’s no secret for me and Putin. Moreover, it’s simply an issue that doesn’t exist,” Lukashenko said, adding that he has already received an invitation to visit.

“I have the full-fledged right to visit Crimea, no matter whose protectorate it is or under whose dominance it is. It is also my Crimea. Putin and I have a specific agreement to stay in Crimea,” the Belarusian president said, adding that he would like to start his visit from Sevastopol.

Earlier, Lukashenko had complained that the President of Russia hasn’t taken him to Crimea, even though he had promised ‘to show what has been done there, and a lot has been done’.

In response, Putin had advised his counterpart by saying that whoever hasn’t been to the peninsula after it was annexed to Russia, to visit the new memorial complex in Sevastopol dedicated to the end f the civil war.