«We rank first in terms of Russian travelers within this massive Eurasian region. We welcome this trend. We appreciate it not only from an economic standpoint because of the money — after all, it’s not poor Russians who come here, they are wealthy. But we are glad that Russians have finally seen that there are no obstacles in Belarus. We share the same language, and there are no barriers. They come here and feel right at home. And Belarusians, naturally, welcome Russians with great respect. No matter their ethnicity, a Russian is one of our own,» the head of state said.

Speaking about the Altai Republic, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that although it is a distant region for Belarus, it is a highly interesting one: «I know your region well both geographically and historically. To be honest, I have never been there, although the Russian president has invited me several times. He says, ‘Let’s go, I’ll show you its beauty.’ Russia has a vast number of such beautiful places. The southern part of Siberia is a very fascinating region, and as a tourist destination, it is of great interest to our people.»