MINSK, 13 June (BelTA) – The policy of sanctions of Western countries has driven Belarus and Russia even closer to each other. Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko made the statement during the solemn reception organized by the Russian embassy in Belarus on the occasion of Russia Day, BelTA has learned.
Roman Golovchenko said: “Belarus and Russia are the most important trade and economic partners for each other. Now we are moving towards a new level of Union State integration. It is happening thanks to a constructive and trustful dialogue at the top level. Presidents of the two countries have outlined new tasks on the way of development of the Union State of Belarus and Russia before the governments and all the government agencies. I am talking not only about manufacturing cooperation but also cultural, humanitarian, financial, and banking integration. It is a road, along which we have yet to travel for quite long. But in the end it will lead to the enrichment of our peoples, the confidence that we stand strong on our feet and need no one's support.”
In his words, in conditions of unprecedented sanctions-fuelled pressure mutual support and joint mutually beneficial projects are very important. “In 2021 Belarus-Russia trade rose by more than a third. We confidently preserve the dynamics this year, too. The current international situation is an additional argument in favor of deepening and invigorating Union State development. Geared towards disuniting us and separating Russia and its historical allies, the Western policy has indeed united us even more for the sake of jointly counteracting new challenges and threats. I am convinced that our countries will successfully get over this complicated stage,” Roman Golovchenko stressed. “I am convinced we will be tempered, we will become even stronger, more powerful, and more confident in ourselves and our future.”
The Belarusian head of government noted that the Russian Federation is a strategic ally of Belarus. “We are connected by many things. It will be 30 years since Belarus-Russia diplomatic relations were established virtually in a couple of days. All this time we've been building new vectors of our interaction. There were certain rises and falls along the way. Nevertheless, we've always preserved the key thing – the feeling of mutual respect, trust, and recognition of the fact that we will have a long way to travel hand in hand on the way of building our sovereign and prosperous states,” Roman Golovchenko stated.
