MINSK, Aug. 18 (TASS) - Future relations between Russia and Ukraine can be improved, but this effort would require serious practical work, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said.

"[The new ties] can be created, but it would require a consistent movement in this direction. If we just talk, but take no practical actions, we will hardly achieve anything. The first step would be to sit at the negotiating table," Lukashenko said in an interview with Ukrainian journalist Diana Panchenko. A video of the interview was uploaded to her YouTube channel.

In Lukashenko’s opinion, negotiations of this kind should involve all interested parties, including Belarus.