Events

MINSK, 9 July (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the ways to overcome negative trends in trade and economic cooperation between the two countries at their meeting in Ufa, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said in an interview to Russia 24 TV channel, BelTA has learned.

“The meeting was held in a constructive and friendly atmosphere. It is typical for our bilateral cooperation in the Union State. Yesterday Vladimir Vladimirovich underlined that Belarus is Russia’s closest ally and partner. For us Russia is also our closest ally,” the minister noted.

In his words, the two Presidents focused on trade and economic cooperation of the two countries. “We have no political issues. There are certain problems in our bilateral trade and economic cooperation. It pertains to the global economic situation and mutual sanctions between Russia and the European Union. Therefore, we had a decline in mutual trade this year. A lot of attention at the meeting was attached to finding the ways to overcome these negative trends and get back to the level of trade we used to have,” Vladimir Makei said.