3.5 Hour Negotiations: Putin Announced the Agreement on 28 Programs of the Union State

All 28 programs related to the Union State of Russia and Belarus have been agreed upon during the negotiations between the leaders of the two countries, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko. This was announced by the Russian president at a press conference following a meeting held at the Kremlin.

As Putin noted, the programs discuss integration of currency systems, collection of side taxes, and cooperation in the field of anti-terrorism activities. As a result of the negotiations, Russia and Belarus have agreed to increase the number of joint enterprises.

Additionally, Putin emphasized that the meeting determined the creation of a unified market for oil and petroleum products, and an agreement will be signed regarding a single electricity market. Furthermore, by December 1, 2023, Russia and Belarus plan to sign an agreement on a unified gas market.

It was also announced that Russia and Belarus will remove all COVID-related restrictions on air travel within the framework of the Union State.

Putin also disclosed that the governments of Russia and Belarus are agreeing to provide new financial support to Minsk, under which approximately $630-640 million is expected to be transferred by the end of 2022. “Yes, but this is a matter for the government,” Putin stated. He added that this issue was also raised during his meeting with his Belarusian counterpart today and noted that it concerns financing.

The negotiations between Putin and Lukashenko lasted for 3.5 hours. Let us recall that the meeting took place today, September 9, in Moscow, where issues regarding the integration of the two countries within the framework of the Union State, current political events, and economic cooperation were discussed.