Putin: Russia, Belarus coordinate unified power market project

VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME, Apr 12 (PRIME) – Deepening integration between Russia and Belarus in the framework of the Union State is important, the two countries have coordinated a project for a unified power market, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday.

“I am sure that it is important to deepen our integration in the framework of the Union State given the current situation, when the Western countries waged a real sanction war on Russia and Belarus, and we agree with Alexander Grigoryevich (Lukashenko) on that. We will continue opposing any attempts to freeze development of our countries or artificially isolate them from the global economy together,” he said.

Settlements for natural gas in the Russian rubles will minimize the impact of sanctions on the economies of both countries, he said. 

In spite of the external pressure, economic relations of Russia and Belarus improve successfully even though there is still much to create a Union State, Putin said.

The two countries have implemented more than 30% of the union programs that were to be completed before the end of 2030, including drafting of approaches to the unified monetary policies, currency regulation, and integration of the national payment systems. An accord on harmonization of the customs regulation was also signed, he said.

Lukashenko said that the Union State has to create an absolutely new strategy of development for the long term.

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