Belarus will independently decide on the issue of ownership of the Crimea, as well as the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, when it considers it necessary, presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Earlier, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has said that he would recognize the Russian ownership of Crimea, as well as Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as soon as he realizes that there is a need for this.
"Apparently, our ally and partner will independently make a decision when he deems it appropriate. There seems to be no need for any additional signals here," Peskov said, answering the question whether Putin plans to send a signal to Lukashenka about recognizing Crimea as Russian.
"There is a de jure and de facto situation here. There are states recognized by the Russian Federation - Abkhazia and South Ossetia, we have diplomatic relations with them, and there is the Russian region of Crimea. An integral part of the Russian Federation," Peskov stressed.
