Original title: Putin visits Minsk, Russia and Belarus to expand cooperation
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, December 20. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Belarusian capital Minsk on December 19 and met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. After the meeting, the leaders of the two countries held a press conference, confirming that Russia and Belarus will strengthen economic cooperation and jointly resist sanctions from “unfriendly countries”.
On April 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) talked with Belarusian President Lukashenko at the Vostok Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East.Xinhua News Agency/Satellite News Agency
Community of interests
According to Reuters, Putin visited Minsk on the 19th and met with Lukashenko “one-on-one”. Before the meeting between the heads of state, the foreign ministers and defense ministers of the two countries held talks. Putin and Lukashenko have met many times this year, but Putin’s visit to Minsk is the first time since 2019.
After the talks, Putin and Lukashenko held a press conference. Putin said he discussed the economy, military-technical cooperation and the world situation with Lukashenko. “The two sides discussed in a pragmatic and constructive manner the main issues in Russia-Belarus relations, covering the economic, cultural and humanitarian, security and defense spheres.”
Putin said that Russia will provide an additional 105 billion rubles to support Belarus’ development of machinery manufacturing, and the two sides will cooperate through import substitution. In addition, the two sides also discussed the price standard in the energy field.
Lukashenko told media reporters that the two countries can withstand the pressure of sanctions from Western countries. “Today, we can say with certainty that together we can withstand (economic sanctions) and find a path to boost the economy.”
In Lukashenko’s view, the means by which Western countries impose sanctions on Belarus and Belarus are almost exhausted, and Western countries are “painfully aware of the backlash effect.”
Putin said that “unfriendly countries” imposed sanctions on Russia and Belarus in an attempt to isolate them from world markets, but Russia and Belarus “confidently and effectively” coordinated their response and imposed “illegal restrictions” on both countries. The economic impact is minimized.
On April 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Belarusian President Lukashenko held a press conference at the Vostok Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East.Xinhua News Agency/Satellite News Agency
Avoid mentioning Ukraine
Reuters said that the Russian and Belarusian heads of state “barely mentioned” the Ukraine crisis at a press conference held on the 19th, but emphasized “closer economic, industrial and defense cooperation” between the two countries.
A senior commander of the Ukrainian military believes that the “Minsk talks” between the Russian and Belarusian heads of state will further coordinate Russia’s special military operations against Ukraine, and the Belarusian army may participate in ground operations.
Both Russia and Belarus have denied this claim. Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said the so-called Russian intention to draw Belarus into the conflict was a “stupid and baseless fabrication.”
Lukashenko said: “Without our help, Russia can cope; but without Russia’s help, we cannot cope.” (Bao Xuelin)