Aliaksandr Lukashenka on Wednesday congratulated Petro Poroshenko on his election as Ukraine's president and wished him 'success in strengthening a united and prosperous Ukraine.'
'Centuries-old traditions of friendship and mutual support, historical unity of our nations make up a solid foundation for the development of all-round and productive cooperation between our countries,' the message of greetings reads.
'Belarus has always been and will be a reliable neighbour for Ukraine. We want Ukraine to be a stable and strong state,' state-run news agency BelTA quotes the Belarusian head of state as saying.
Mr Lukashenka also wished Petro Poroshenko every success in promoting unity and well-being in Ukraine.
On May 26, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said that Belarus respected the choice of the Ukrainian people and was ready for 'further constructive cooperation with its neighbour.'
Noting that the election had been conducted in an 'unprecedentedly tough and tense situation' and that some voters had not been 'involved into the election process,' the ministry stressed that 'Ukrainian society demonstrated a high level of civil consciousness and determination to start moving towards national consent, stability in the country, sustainable economic and political development.'
'We hope that the election will become an important step forward in the efforts to restore mutual understanding, normalize the situation in the country, and build a comprehensive power hierarchy in Ukraine,' the statement said.
