MOSCOW, 9 October (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has arrived at the Kremlin for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, BelTA has learned.
The heads of state are expected to discuss topical issues related to further development of the Russian-Belarusian relations of strategic cooperation and alliance with a focus on integration cooperation within the Union State.
Earlier, the press service of the Russian president reported that the Belarusian president will be presented with the Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called, Russia's highest state award, in a solemn ceremony on 9 October.
The Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called is the highest state order of the Russian Federation and the first order and the highest award of the Russian Empire. The award was established by Peter I in honor of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called at the end of the 17th century. Over 1,000 people received the award until 1917.
After the October Revolution, the order was abolished as all other awards of the Russian Empire. In 1998, by decree of the Russian president, it was re-established as the highest state award. The order is given to prominent government and public figures and other citizens of the Russian Federation for “exceptional services to the prosperity, greatness and glory of Russia". It may also be presented to heads of foreign states.
A total of 26 people have been awarded the Order since 1998, including China's President Xi Jinping, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the former leaders Heydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan.
The heads of state are expected to discuss topical issues related to further development of the Russian-Belarusian relations of strategic cooperation and alliance with a focus on integration cooperation within the Union State.
Earlier, the press service of the Russian president reported that the Belarusian president will be presented with the Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called, Russia's highest state award, in a solemn ceremony on 9 October.
The Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called is the highest state order of the Russian Federation and the first order and the highest award of the Russian Empire. The award was established by Peter I in honor of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called at the end of the 17th century. Over 1,000 people received the award until 1917.
After the October Revolution, the order was abolished as all other awards of the Russian Empire. In 1998, by decree of the Russian president, it was re-established as the highest state award. The order is given to prominent government and public figures and other citizens of the Russian Federation for “exceptional services to the prosperity, greatness and glory of Russia". It may also be presented to heads of foreign states.
A total of 26 people have been awarded the Order since 1998, including China's President Xi Jinping, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the former leaders Heydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan.
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