Lukashenko: Belarus, Russia may surpass the West with proper efforts

"We need to enhance import substitution, technological sovereignty and other areas. We have raw materials, technologies. They may not be the most advanced in some areas, but we have them," Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized. "For example, even though our cars may not be so luxurious yet, in three-four years we will be able to reach their level and perhaps even surpass it. We have competencies too: Moskvich, Zhiguli, and so on. They have started producing decent cars. We will get through this. As for mobile phones, iPads, and so on, we will buy them in China. We live and use the same phones they do."

"So, we have the foundation: we are able to cloth and feed people, protect ourselves, move around, build, clean streets, and more, all of this is in place. In some areas, we are lagging behind. If we follow this path and focus on developing our economy, we will catch up with and surpass [the West] in three-five years," the president stressed.