Image credit: TASS
MINSK, 19 June (BelTA) – The Union State of Belarus and Russia will succeed. President of Russia Vladimir Putin made the statement at a meeting with heads of foreign news agencies in response to a question from BelTA Director General Irina Akulovich, BelTA has learned.
Irina Akulovich asked Vladimir Putin whether the Union State of Belarus and Russia has Plan B if the pressure of sanctions continues rising.
Vladimir Putin said: “The first option is Plan A. It stipulates what and how we should do in order to develop our relations and our economies. Then Plan B. If something doesn’t work out, refer to Plan A. We will manage to accomplish everything. There is no doubt about that. Because Belarus-Russia trade has reached $50 billion. It is a serious figure.”
And the growth continues. “It continues. Including thanks to manufacturing cooperation. We look for opportunities to advance our relations in various spheres where we didn’t cooperate in the past or where we cooperated a bit in the days of the Soviet Union. Let’s say in microelectronics. Many have criticized [Belarus President Aleksandr] Lukashenko, laughed at him for preserving the Soviet plan-driven system and so on. First of all, it doesn’t happen,” the Russian president noted. “Secondly, after all, Aleksandr Grigoryevich [Lukashenko] has preserved some economy branches, demand for which has never been higher than now. Particularly in conditions of tough sanctions. Including enterprises operating in the field of microelectronics. Certainly, it is necessary to achieve different figures. A lot needs to be done. And other countries spent decades doing it. But we still have an opportunity to make a good step. A fast, powerful large step. Together.”
Belarus and Russia have opportunities for cooperation in aircraft production. “Belarus may be able to make small aircraft on its own, thanks to our manufacturing cooperation schemes. Or Belarus may contribute to more profound manufacturing cooperation schemes to make aircraft, which final assembly will take place in Russia,” Vladimir Putin clarified. “As far as agricultural machines are concerned, mutual manufacturing cooperation accounts for way more than 50% of the machines and vehicles assembled in Russia. I am not going to recount everything else. We have very many cooperation avenues. As you know, Belarus is one of the world’s leading fertilizer suppliers. But practically all the volume is now exported via the Russian Federation, via Russian ports.”
“We have things we argue about. And these debates keep going all the time. I am not going to go into details but ultimately we always find a solution because we are sincere about finding an answer. This is why we find them. I am convinced it will continue like that,” Vladimir Putin stressed.
The meeting of President of Russia Vladimir Putin with heads of international news agencies took place on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Heads of 14 news agencies took part in it: Azerbaijan, Belarus, UK, Vietnam, Germany, Indonesia, Spain, Kazakhstan, China, Russia, USA, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and France.
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