Vladimir Putin: Russia will fulfill its allied obligations within the CSTO

When answering a question of a correspondent of the Rossiya 1 TV channel, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin confirmed the readiness of the Russian Federation to fulfill its allied obligations towards the Republic of Belarus if necessary.

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“In the Union Treaty, the Union State Treaty and the Collective Security Treaty (CSTO), there are relevant articles that stipulate that all member states of these organizations, including the Union State – and there are only two member states, Russia and Belarus – must help each other to protect their sovereignty, external borders and stability. They stipulate it in so may words,” reminded the President of the Russian Federation.
As Vladimir Putin said, “Aleksandr Grigorievich (Lukashenko) asked me to form a certain reserve of law enforcement officers, and I did it.
But we also agreed that it will not be used unless the situation gets out of control and unless extremist – let me emphasize it – elements, under the guise of political slogans, cross certain borders – start looting, start setting cars, houses and banks on fire, seize administrative buildings and so on.
In our conversation with Aleksandr Grigorievich, we have come to the conclusion that there is no such need now, and I hope that there will be no such need, and that is why we do not use this reserve.”
“Let me reiterate,” said the President of the Russian Federation, “that we proceed from the assumption that all problems that are taking place today in Belarus will be resolved peacefully and if anyone violates the law in effect, be it state authorities, law enforcement agencies or those who take part in the protests, then the law will respond accordingly.”