Opinions & Interviews

Minister: Concept of further action to formulate proposals on Union State integration agreed
"We have prepared a package of proposals for the talks for the president. The working group worked out the draft programs which the heads of state exchanged in May. I believe that the concept of further work is generally agreed"...

Opinion: EAEU, Union State can naturally complement each other
Grigory Rapota believes that some issues can be effectively addressed in the Union State, others at the level of the EAEU and this experience can be further scaled up in the Eurasian space...

Top-priority tasks in Belarus-Russia relations specified
"If we are part of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, the prices should be close to each other, however, the price we pay is twice as large as that in Smolensk Oblast. On the other hand, we should more actively promote our own products"...

Belarus receives praise for sport infrastructure
“But as the city prepared for the European Games it built world-class infrastructure. Now the city can host almost any tournament,” he said...

Governor: Russia’s Primorsky Krai interested in increasing supplies of Belarusian goods
According to the Russian governor, it will be easier for Belarus to bolster ties with Primorsky Krai than Sakhalin Oblast. "Primorsky Krai is the continent, more densely populated region, bordering on four countries: China, North and South Korea, Japan"...

Belarus’ draft youth policy strategy until 2030 ready
“Belarus has already drawn up the draft strategy for youth policy until 2030,” the minister said. According to him, the conceptual approaches of the document can be used in the strategy for youth integration in the Union State...

Belarus MFA optimistic about Belarusian-Russian talks in St. Petersburg
According to Vladimir Makei, the parties view some issues differently. “I think that during the meeting it will be possible to narrow these differences and work out a common understanding of what the process of further integration should look like”...

Belarus-Switzerland relations reach new heights
Aleksandr Turchin said he was confident that active contacts between the countries will continue. The elevation of the Swiss diplomatic mission in Belarus up to the embassy will contribute to it among other things...

Ambassador: Authority of Minsk negotiations venue is very high in Ukraine
The ambassador recalled the recent address of President Volodymyr Zelensky with a proposal to hold talks on the situation in Ukraine in Minsk. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke about the possibility to hold such a meeting several times...

MFA highlights importance of economic agenda for Belarusian embassies
"Our main task is to advance Belarusian goods and services to foreign markets. The situation on the foreign trade front has not become easier since our last year's meeting. It will not get easier"...

Turchin: Belarus seeks to keep agricultural subsidies after WTO entry
"I am sure we will be able to uphold the positions regarding the current volume of agricultural subsidies in the country, or maybe even higher volumes. We have some reserves where we can make concessions but we see the red lines that we cannot cross"...

Ambassador: France intends to develop cooperation with Belarus in matters of European stability
“As evidenced by the growing political dialogue, Belarus is a partner whose independence and sovereignty we support and with whom we want to strengthen cooperation, especially in matters relating to European stability”...

Vietnam thinks highly of Belarus’ contribution to security, peace in region
"Vietnam always thinks highly of Belarus’ contribution to ensuring security and peace in the region. Vietnam and Belarus have maintained active cooperation for many years. Both sides now continue developing and strengthening constructive interaction in all fields"...

Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk hailed as important culturological platform for Belarus-Russia union
“In any sphere it is an important to have an effective tool to achieve practical goals. Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk is such a tool in the sphere of culture of Belarus and Russia”...

Putin: Slavianski Bazaar enriches the cultural life of many countries
"The festival is famous for its good creative traditions, the atmosphere of friendship and creativity. Every year popular singers, actors, musicians and dancers perform at concert venues of hospitable Vitebsk"...

Makei: Bielski partisans group is vivid example of Jews’ fight against invaders
In his opening remarks Vladimir Makei noted that during the Second World War, the Jews were not only victims but also warriors, partisans and underground movement members, heroes who fought with weapons in their hands against the extermination of their people and other peoples...

Belarus ready for compromises on way to WTO without hurting national interests
Aleksandr Turchin informed participants of the meeting about the development of the Belarusian economy, about the headway made on the way to joining the WTO, and about results achieved since the previous meeting of the working party in February 2019...

Ambassador: Preparation of Lukashenko’s visit to Latvia continues
According to him, it would be advisable to prepare good economic contracts for the top-level visit which could serve as an added incentive for the development of trade and economic relations between the two countries...

Wiktorin: New head of EU Delegation to Belarus will continue constructive dialogue
“I am sure that the trajectory towards cooperation, which we set in the last four years, towards openness and constructive dialogue will remain in place after I leave office here,” Andrea Wiktorin said...

Union State Permanent Committee ready to discuss integration together with joint taskforce
At the meeting the Belarusian president, who is also the chairman of the Supreme State Council, instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address the issue of the Permanent Committee’s participation in the operation of the Belarusian-Russian taskforce...