The EU Imposes New Sanctions on Belarus

YURIY FILATOV, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO IRELAND: Well, good evening. I think what we’re talking about is really a serious situation, serious incident with the passenger airplane. And that, in my view, in our view, it has to be dealt very carefully, without any rush to judgment, without any haste. Well, regrettably, at the just-concluded E.U. summit, that is exactly what happened, hastily whipped-up emotion, when what we really need is a thorough investigation. There are, well, lots of serious questions about the whole incident which needs to be answered. And I think the best way to know that is to conduct really serious, independent, unbiased international investigation. And I hope that, tomorrow, when the International Civil Aviation Organization council will convene, they would make decisions in that regard. As far as I understand, the Belarusian authorities will be ready to assist with such investigation. At least, that’s what I have heard from the foreign minister, Mr. Makei. He promised to provide every and all materials pertaining to the incident to the investigation, be absolutely transparent. And I think that’s really a sensible approach.

GOLODRYGA: But–

FILATOV: I don’t think that there is no — there is no point in talking about any kind of Russian connection there, pointing questions, whether someone knew or not. Of course, there is no connection whatsoever to the incident from the Russian side. We have — came to know that with everybody else. And that’s really a serious thing.