MINSK, Oct. 6 - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is convinced that the Ukrainian crisis gave an impetus to the improvement of the relations between his country and the West.

"I am criticized or it is said with regret that the crisis in Ukraine helped Lukashenko etc. It did not help me. This is a pain for me, as well as for many Ukrainians and for those people who have relatives there," Lukashenko said on Tuesday, addressing the residents of the Minsk district.