Alexander Lukashenko appeals to leaders of EAEU to act as united front

27 мая 2022
Unite and act as one front! This was the appeal made by our President to the leaders of the EAEU. The summit of the Eurasian Economic Union heads of state was held today in the online format. The sanctions pressure is not subsiding, which pushes us towards closer cooperation in the Greater Eurasian area. Logistics, industrial security, creation of new cooperative ties, import substitution and other issues were discussed at the meeting.

At the end of the meeting, the EAEU leaders approved the main guidelines of macroeconomic policy for this and next year. The Eurasian Union is capable of passing all tests, if it manages to overcome national egoism. 


The first Eurasian economic forum was held in Bishkek


"Our meeting is taking place in difficult geopolitical and economic conditions. We have managed to stop problems at the currency and financial markets. However, the sanctions pressure is not weakening, but rather intensifying," said Alexander Lukashenko.

The head of state noted that due to the global nature of the economy and the fact that Russia and Belarus are the major trade and economic partners for the EAEU countries, the consequences of sanctions will affect all members of the union to some extent. "Therefore, we cannot sit idly by. I say this again to those who think that everything will pass by itself. We just have to pull together and act with a united front. Obviously, everybody needs this, and there is no other way, if we want to keep our statehood, our union, and really think about the good of our peoples. "


Decisions have been promptly taken to improve the sustainability of the economies of the EAEU states


Taking into account the unleashed war of sanctions, the Eurasian Economic Commission promptly adopted support measures. Their total effect is estimated at $2.8 billion. The import duties were reduced or abolished altogether for more than a thousand and a half items of goods. For citizens, the threshold of duty-free import of goods has changed. Our President thinks that first and foremost we should reform the logistics. 

"The commission's initiative to implement the Eurasian AgroExpress project is of considerable interest. It is designed to provide regular uninterrupted deliveries of agricultural goods by rail, including those from China," said Alexander Lukashenko. In addition, according to the President, we need to seriously speed up work to create new cooperative ties and import substitution, especially for critical imports, to develop indicative balances for the essential goods for the internal market of the Union.

Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus:
The EAEU food has a good position on food security issues, but due to the projected rush in the world demand for priority food products, close coordination is needed to prevent shortages of certain goods in our own markets. I believe that the other CIS countries should also be involved in solving the above-mentioned problems.

That is a clear signal: the doors of the Union are open. The EAEU does not intend to isolate itself. And if the West plays sanctions games, well, let's go to the East. There is active work on concluding trade agreements with Egypt and Iran. We're on the way to substantive negotiations with Indonesia. The Emirates are interested in a free trade agreement. Cuba and Uzbekistan are already the observers. The shifting of business activity centers to the Asian region has been going on for a long time. This is the reality. Alexander Lukashenko reminds us of China. 


The potential for cooperation between the EAEU and China


"The concluded international treaty on trade and economic cooperation with China has enormous potential. It should be used to expand cooperation in industrial cooperation, including innovative areas, attract investment, implement the transit potential of our union, and increase mutual trade," stressed the head of state.

According to the President, now we need to focus on the work on the speedy implementation of the road map with the Chinese side this year. The partnership with China in digital transport corridors is also of particular importance, he added. 

"The implementation of this direction will help to switch to a comprehensive electronic technology of cargo transportation by rail between the states of our union and China", said the President.