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You are streetwise and I am street tough, Lukashenko to Putin

You are streetwise and I am street tough, Lukashenko to Putin

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet at the Sirius Educational Center in the Black sea resort of Sochi, Russia

As pressure grows on Lukashenko to resolve the migrant crisis at the Polish border, the Belarus strongman has increasingly relied on his principal ally Russia to provide support.

In an interview, Lukashenko said he shares a lot of similarities with Russian President Putin.

Also Read:Lukashenko faces sanctions threat, pitches for Russian missiles

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"What is the similarity between us? When we sit at the table, I say 'listen, sometimes I wonder why we interpret reality the same way?' he told the reporter, adding, "philosophically speaking, you are streetwise and I am street tough," he told the interviewer while explaining his chat with Putin.

Watch:Migrants crisis unfolds at Belarus-Poland migrants

In an apparent slip, Lukashenko said, "We came from the lowlife" as he was interrupted by his aid who corrected him to mean "grassroots".

Also Read:We have nothing to do with it, says Putin on Belarus-Poland migrant crisis

Lukashenko said his childhood wasn't easy as hevirtually grew up on the street while asserting that he shares the "same values" as the Russian president. "We grew up with those values. That is why we interpret reality the same way" the Belarus president said.

Also Read:Migrant crisis in Belarus tests Putin’s uneasy alliance with Lukashenko

Putin and Lukashenko have cemented their relations in the past year amid sanctions imposed by the EU on Belarus. Troops from both sides conducted military drills with paratroopers as migrants continued to pour into the Poland-Belarus border.

Putin had in fact sought to resolve the crisis saying that, "we are ready to help it by all means" even as he blamed the EU for the crisis at the Polish border.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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