MINSK, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko sent his congratulations to U.S. President Donald Trump and the American people on Independence Day, the presidential press service said Wednesday.

Lukashenko said that Belarus, as a country pursuing a responsible and peaceful foreign policy, has been and remains a reliable partner of the United States in the strategic areas of the international agenda.

In his message, Lukashenko expressed the hopes that the positive trends in bilateral relations will continue, and that the two countries will continue to implement mutually beneficial projects as part of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.