MOSCOW, March 20 (Xinhuanet) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Alexander Lukashenko on Monday on his re-election as Belarus leader for another five-year term in Sunday polls, the Kremlin said.

    "The outcome of the elections demonstrates voters' trust in your policies aimed at further raising the well-being of the Belarussian people," Putin said in his congratulation letter to Lukashenko, the Interfax news agency reported.

    Putin said, "Russia and Belarus are bound by strong ties of friendship. We are actively working on the development of multifaceted integration and the deepening of relations in all spheres." He expressed confidence that jointly "we will move further on the road of building the union state and ensuring progressive democratic development of the two countries."

    Putin wished Lukashenko "success in the office of the head of state" and wished "peace and prosperity" to the Belarussian people.

    According to the final results released by the Central Election Commission in Minsk, incumbent Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko garnered 82.6 percent of the vote in the Sunday election.

    The Russia Foreign Ministry said on Monday the presidential re-election in Belarus had been fair and was legitimate.

    However, the EU is "very likely" to impose stiffer sanctions onthe Belarussian authority amid suspicions over foul play in the country's presidential election, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said on Monday.

    A White House spokesman said on Monday that the United States does not accept the election results in Belarus and called for newelections in the country. Enditem