Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Belarusian colleague Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk in order to advance bilateral comprehensive cooperation.
“The main issues of Russian-Belarusian relations in economic, cultural, humanitarian, security and defence spheres were discussed in a businesslike and constructive manner,” Putin said at a joint press conference following the meeting.
Putin referred to Russia and Belarus as “the closest allies and strategic partners,” noting that the two nations are continuously advancing their economic integration, defying attempts to impose sanctions, and working together to lessen the effects of Western limitations.
By the end of this year, bilateral trade will reach a record high of over 40 billion US dollars, and Russia will continue to be the greatest investor in the Belarusian economy, contributing over 4 billion, he said.
Assuring the security of the (Russia-Belarus) Union State, creating a common defence area, and cooperating within the Collective Security Treaty Organization were all topics covered in-depth during today’s talks, Putin told reporters.
Lukashenko stated at the press conference that he thought the discussions on the key topics of Belarusian-Russian cooperation were productive and successful.
“Today, we can unequivocally state that together we are able not only to survive but also to find opportunities for the development of our economies,” he said.
