28 allied programs of Moscow and Minsk have been implemented by almost 80%, his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko said at a meeting with Vladimir Putin. The leaders of the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to develop not only economic but also military ties. Belarus already produces components for the Russian MC-21 and Superjet 100 aircraft, but is also ready to produce attack aircraft. On the same day, the Russian leader took part in an event marking the 30th anniversary of Gazprom. The President oriented the head of the company, Alexei Miller, to the restructuring of logistics routes and the observance of the interests of the country.
Military aviation
Approximately two weeks ago, during a telephone conversation, the presidents of Russia and Belarus agreed on a new meeting, and on February 17, Alexander Lukashenko, indeed, arrived. On the eve of his arrival, Vladimir Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, warned journalists that a “detailed conversation” was ahead.
Most of the talks in Novo-Ogaryovo were held behind closed doors: only the leaders’ introductory remarks were shown live. The main goal of the conversation, the President of Russia called the preparation for a bilateral meeting in broad format, he thanked his colleague for being able to come. “As if I could disagree!” the Belarusian colleague responded.
Vladimir Putin told Alexander Lukashenko that he watched his press conference held the day before. “It would be better if they didn’t watch: they were probably upset,” the Belarusian leader said with a smile. However, Vladimir Putin noted, in a serious tone, that he shared his point of view. There were no explanations.
The presidents then turned to security issues, both military and economic. Alexander Lukashenko said that in 2022 Minsk, for its part, fulfilled all the agreements with the Russian Federation in the field of defense. “And they did even more,” said the head of the republic, promising to tell the details behind closed doors.
The countries closely cooperate in the aircraft industry. Belarusian specialists produce up to 1,000 components for Russian MS-21 and Sukhoi Superjet passenger aircraft, Alexander Lukashenko said. However, he announced his intention to produce not only civilian, but also military equipment.
– And as I was informed in the government, they are ready to enter the production of the MiG-25 aircraft (probably, they meant the Su-25 attack aircraft), in my opinion. Well, who shows himself well in Ukraine. Stormtrooper, workhorse. We are ready to produce even in Belarus with the corresponding small support from the Russian Federation,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
Despite its readiness to produce military aircraft, Belarus is interested in resolving, and not escalating, the situation in Ukraine, Andrey Savinykh, head of the international affairs committee of the Belarusian parliament, told Izvestiya. He recalled that the day before, Alexander Lukashenko invited his American colleague Joe Biden to Minsk and offered to organize negotiations with Vladimir Putin. If the United States agrees to a meeting, then Belarus can provide a “quiet flight” to Minsk also for Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
Recall that the visit of American leader Joe Biden to Poland will take place from February 20 to 22. He is scheduled to meet with the President of the Republic, Andrzej Duda, and the leaders of the Bucharest Nine countries. The White House said no other shutdowns were planned. The Kremlin considered it unlikely that Washington would respond to Alexander Lukashenko’s proposal.
Program execution
As for cooperation between the Russian Federation and Belarus in the economic sphere, everything is stable here. According to Vladimir Putin, the volume of trade between the Russian Federation and Belarus exceeded $43 billion. “About $44 billion in goods and plus other services,” Alexander Lukashenko added.
As Andrey Savinykh stated, the priority of the leadership of the two countries is the continuation of work on 28 agreed, but not yet implemented union programs. At a meeting in Novo-Ogaryovo, Alexander Lukashenko specified that now they have been implemented by about 80%. According to him, the main issues in the tax and customs spheres have been resolved, while humanitarian issues remain. Earlier, Belarusian Ambassador to the Russian Federation Dmitry Krutoy expressed the hope that this year the documents will be fully implemented.
– And of course, our further work to strengthen the Union State, our 28 programs that we talked about and that have been worked out by our colleagues in the government – this creates the conditions, the basis for moving forward in the development of our cooperation, first of all, of course, in the economic sphere,” Vladimir Putin said.
At the same time, the implementation of the programs, according to the Belarusian leader, leads to effective interaction between individual companies. “Now there is no competition. We produce components for Kamaz, and Kamaz makes them for us. When individual companies left, they work like that, and there is enough market. There are minor problems, but this is cooperation,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
He also noted the situation in the IT sector: some assured that all enterprises had fled. However, according to him, this is not the case. “I was pleasantly surprised that your companies ordered a product from our IT specialists for more than $300 million. We paid more than $300 million,” he stressed. Western countries failed to “squeeze” the Russian Federation and Belarus: import substitution still continues, Alexander Lukashenko is sure.
gas experience
On the same day, the President of Russia took part via video link in the event on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Gazprom, at which he outlined “large-scale complex tasks” to the head of the company, Alexei Miller. First of all, they are connected with the restructuring of logistics routes and gaining a foothold in new markets.
Alexey Miller assured the president that there would be plenty of gas in Russia for “long decades.” Reporting on the company’s work in Yamal, he noted that the Russian Federation in the Arctic is “ahead of the rest.”
Over the past 30 years, global consumption of blue fuel has almost doubled, and in the next 20 years, according to experts, it will increase by at least 20%, Vladimir Putin said. The increase in gas use in the future will be in the Asia-Pacific region, primarily in China. However, the company’s priority should be the interests of the country. Gasification of households in Russia does not currently provide large incomes to Gazprom, but it improves the well-being of residents and thus strengthens the market for the future, the head of the Russian Federation noted.
Vladimir Putin also called on the company not only to make a profit, but also to help people. In particular, he praised the social program under which Gazprom built the Martial Arts Academy sports hall for children. To test its quality, the president even jokingly called Alexei Miller to step on the mat.
– Alexei Borisovich, we agreed that we would go there personally, we’ll see. And, since I see that you wear a hat like the Nightingale the Robber, this once again confirms certain traits of your character,” the president said to the head of Gazprom, who stood out for his headdress.
As Aleksey Miller himself said, on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, where he got in touch with the president, it was only minus five degrees, but a strong wind was blowing. Because of this, the hat of the entrepreneur, to which the president drew attention, constantly slipped.
