ST. PETERSBURG, 28 January (BelTA) - At the upcoming meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Belarus-Russia Union State we will try to look further into how to develop cooperation between Belarus and Russia, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg on 28 January, BelTA has learned.
“Tomorrow we are going to formalize many of our decisions as we hold the Supreme State Council summit. I think the Supreme State Council meeting will be a success,” the Belarusian leader said.
According to him, the summit will also focus on the prospects: “We will discuss our Union State programs, review the progress made in their implementation. The progress is quite good. We have done a lot. We will try to look into how we will develop further. Thank you very much for everything that has been done so far.”
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, earlier, before all the pressure and sanctions, they used to discuss government-level issues at the Supreme State Council meetings and bilateral talks. “Today all such issues are solved by governments. Setting the agenda is our sacred duty though. I am very happy with our meeting. I am always ready to come to any place in Russia. Here there is a lot to see and enough to talk about,” the head of state said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also mentioned the joint events that took place on Sunday before the talks at Konstantinovsky Palace. One of them was the ceremony to launch a new wintering complex at the Vostok station in Antarctica. The presidents joined the ceremony via a video link.
“As for the Antarctic, in the Soviet times we worked together, we shared everything, and that was right. I am very happy about it. And so you are, I believe. We are happy that we have not parted ways. We have stayed together. What other country could have provided the same opportunities to Belarus? We have no problems in cooperation with Russia. Russia has a lot of great things. You welcome us, provide support, offer cooperation. No other country would treat us the same way as you do,” the head of state said.
“What prevented Ukraine, the Baltic countries from maintaining such cooperation with us? This is our world, and we have been building it for several decades. We won that terrible war together. Let us move forward together! No, they do not want it - they are looking for a better life overseas,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
On 28 January the heads of state also visited SKA Arena, the world's largest hockey stadium, recently built in St. Petersburg. “This is a true palace for sport development. All kinds of sport. It is a culture and sport complex. It can host any kind of events. It is very classy,” the Belarusian president shared his impressions of the arena. “We talked to the [SKA] players, including Belarusians who work and play here, and also Russians, whom I only saw at hockey matches. They are all open-hearted, decent people. I think we will find some time in our schedule to watch a game at this gorgeous stadium.”
