Opinions & Interviews

ASTANA, 19 March (BelTA) – Belarus and Kazakhstan need to increase the bilateral trade, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana on 19 March, BelTA has learned.

“Everything in our relations seems fine. However, the pace of our trade cooperation has slowed down and I would like it to develop more actively. The well-known external factor and an almost two-time devaluation of the Russian ruble affected the situation inside Kazakhstan and Belarus,” the Belarusian leader noted.

"Your invitation was timely. We need to discuss the situation and, if necessary, take action. The situation is alarming. The negative trends pile up, and a lot depends on the Russian Federation here. The three of us need to find a way out of this situation so that our union could become more attractive, so that people would see that we have positive dynamics, at least within our union,” the President of Belarus said.

Alexander Lukashenko recalled that last year much attention was paid to the problems in the EEU. The Belarusian President suggested exchanging the views on the enlargement of the union, the accession of Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.

The Belarusian leader also drew attention to the ongoing presidential election campaign in Kazakhstan. “You know our attitude to you. You know that we are rooting for you and wish you a victory. I know that the Kazakhstan people treat you with the highest respect and warmth. This presidential campaign will pass. Whatever its results, we need to think about the future,” Alexander Lukashenko noted.