Alexander Lukashenko has promised to recognize the Ukrainian Crimea as part of the Russian Federation after all Russian oligarchs do it. This is reported by Russian media.
"When the last oligarch in Russia recognizes Crimea and starts supplying products there, I will recognize it as well. Although I have a lot of stoppers. The Budapest Declaration. Do you remember, we signed it? Nazarbayev, Yeltsin, Lukashenko, Clinton and Tony Blair, or whoever was there in Great Britain. Read it. My signature is there. But I will step over this too", - Lukashenko said.
He added that he had a free hand because of the actions of the Ukrainian authorities. "They howled: "Lukashenko will fly to the Crimea through Russia!" Well, I can't fly through Ukraine. Madmen", - he said.
As previously reported, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei stated that Belarus would launch direct flights to the Crimea temporarily occupied by Russia, "if it is economically profitable".
In May 2021, a Ryanair plane was landed in Minsk to remove the opposition members from it. The EU imposed sanctions and called for avoiding flights to/over the Republic of Belarus, and also banned Belarus from flying to its countries. Ukraine stopped air traffic with the Republic of Belarus as well. Lukashenko wants to open flights to the occupied Crimea. The Kremlin stated in April 2021 that there was no problem with non-recognition of the Crimea as Russian by Belarus. Lukashenko wanted to open flights to the Crimea in early June; the Ukrainian MFA threatened him with The Hague.
On July 12, the EU extended sanctions against the Russian Federation for the occupation of the Crimea.