Russian and Belarusian presidents Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko will discuss key issues of developing bilateral relations and strategic partnership at a meeting in Sochi on September 14, the Kremlin's press service reported.
"Special attention will be paid to the implementation of major joint projects in the trade and economic, energy, cultural and humanitarian fields, as well as the prospects for promoting integration processes within the Union state," the release adds.
Russian-Belarusian relations are of the nature of union cooperation: on December 8, 1999, the parties signed an agreement on the creation of a Union state — a supranational entity with a single political, economic, military, customs and other areas organized in stages.
Belarus is a strategic ally of Russia. This is enshrined in the Foreign policy Concept of the Russian Federation, which confirms the policy of expanding strategic cooperation with Minsk as one of the regional priorities.
The high dynamism of bilateral contacts at the highest levels is evidence of the priority nature of relations with Belarus for Russia. So, in 2019, 11 meetings and contacts between Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko took place, and the heads of government communicated 12 times.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from RIA Novosti