MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/: Russian and Belarussian authorities will prepare the Union State Security Concept. The document will outline the two states’ basic cooperation goals, including listing external challenges, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the Union State Supreme State Council meeting in the Kremlin.
During the meeting, Russia and Belarus approved a number of significant decisions aimed at further deepening integration processes. In particular, Moscow and Minsk must "substantially focus on strategic planning" and pay attention to strengthening the Union State’s security system, Putin said.
Here are the key statements made by the two leaders.
About the Union State
The Union of Russia and Belarus is a leader among integrated associations in terms of how much it has accomplished in such a short time span.
"Considering the current situation, the importance of this unique inter-state association is hard to overstate," Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said.
There are significant achievements in the integration of key areas of the economy: governments and relevant agencies have already completed 74% of activities in 28 priority industry programs, approved during the Supreme State Council meeting in 2021. "This work yields concrete, tangible results," he added.
The Union State has effective defense, including air defense. Thanks to certain measures taken, the border has become better protected from international terrorism, the uncontrolled influx of migrants, contraband, ammunition and drugs, Lukashenko noted.
Putin underscored that the states will increase their cooperation in defense and security, as well as in the military-technical area. "And this, undoubtedly, meets the fundamental interests of our countries and our people. This is particularly important today, considering the complicated international situation," Putin added.
He also noted that the preparation of the Union State Security Concept has begun. According to Putin, the document will outline the basic goals of cooperation between Russia and Belarus "in light of growing tensions on our states’ external borders and the sanctions and information war against us."
It is also necessary to "substantially work on strategic planning," paying attention to strengthening the Union State’s security, in order to ensure its sustainable socio-economic development, Putin said.
Economic ties
In the past 27 years, the value of trade volume within the Union State has increased 4.5-fold. "Manufacturing cooperation is the key area in bilateral relations," Lukashenko said. Such ties are maintained by over 8,000 businesses in both countries that employ hundreds of thousands of people. Moscow and Minsk have also switched payment for strategic goods to Russian rubles with the help of credit resources.
The governments of both countries have been working in the anti-crisis center mode since last year. "It should be noted that our economies have done a good job adapting, in building new supply chains," Lukashenko said, adding that investment projects worth over 1.5 billion rubles are being implemented right now.
Moscow and Minsk also continue to ramp up their integration in energy - the process of establishing a single oil and gas market continues, Putin underscored, adding that an agreement on a common energy market will be signed.
Russia and Belarus have implemented over 60 scientific and technical programs. "Many innovations are being introduced into production, making it possible to implement import substitution programs thereby reducing dependence on Western technologies," Lukashenko added.
In the humanitarian area, the joint budget will fund aid to students in Donbass - Lukashenko supported this idea, Putin said.
Western pressure
The situation around Russia and Belarus is complicated. "Undoubtedly, we withstood the first ‘massive blows’ with dignity," Lukashenko believes. According to the Belarusian President, the Western economic blockade of Russia and Belarus has failed, because the economies of the two states are "self-sufficient in principle." However, the West has started to exert military pressure, building up NATO forces near Belarusian and Russian borders. "They are particularly concerned about the Kaliningrad Region now," he said.
It is necessary to defend the national interests of Belarus and Russia more promptly and with better coordination. "If necessary, we will use everything to defend our Union State and our people," Lukashenko said, adding that Moscow and Minsk will withstand Western pressure and will not collapse.
Meanwhile, Russia and Belarus intend to strengthen cooperation with all countries who desire to do so. "Together, we are implementing comprehensive measures to minimize the damage caused by illegal sanctions," Putin noted.
Weapons
Weapons from Ukraine flow into Russia, and from Russia - to Belarus. "Our border with Ukraine is shut tightly. Weapons now go through the Bryansk and other regions," Lukashenko noted. There are caches with weapons and explosives in Belarus and Russia. "They enter, they take it… This is exactly how the situation in St. Petersburg happened," Lukashenko said.
