Lukashenko at CIS summit: We cannot lose the Russian language, it is our greatest treasure

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has expressed support for establishing an international organization for promoting the Russian language. Discussion about the relevant agreement is part of the agenda of the summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, BelTA has learned. In his speech Aleksandr Lukashenko described the initiative of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for establishing an international organization for promoting the Russian language as timely and in demand.

“You know, all of us speak Russian today, this is why we don't feel this colossal problem so acutely. But look at the young people in our republics. Many speak Russian worse than they speak English and other languages.

[Mastery of the Russian language] is our greatest treasure. If we let things slide, we may end up having to hire an interpreter in order to communicate,” the Belarusian leader stated. “We cannot lose the language of interethnic communication as they call it.

And after all, I don't understand why we should lose it. Does it harm us, our generation? It doesn't. It should not harm the generation of our kids either.

It is our treasure.” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that he has always said that the Russian language is not Russia's language: “It is our common language. We lived as one country for a long time. Proceeding from the concept that the language is a live thing that develops in creative ways, we also developed this Russian language together.