What will a new stage of integration look like? On the eve of the meeting of the leaders of Belarus and Russia, the expert community is discussing the Union development programs as well as the reaction of competitors to the emergence of a strong economic player in the region.
Tomorrow in Moscow, Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin will discuss the integration programs. This will be the final discussion before the signing of landmark documents, they are in the final stage of readiness. This work has been performed for the last several years and was accompanied by intense discussions both in society and political circles.
Western reaction to integration
Economic independence means greater sovereignty. Practice shows that countries with weak national economies are first in line to be called "new age colonies". There are a lot of examples when fully developed states turn into ordinary markets.
But strong neighbors are a source of concern for the West. In order not to allow a deeper integration of Belarus and Russia - an old trick was used in the media field - a slogan about the loss of sovereignty. Experts emphasize that it's very unusual to hear it from the stalwarts of European integration.
The Union state with renewed levers of development is a serious economic competitor. Ties have been working in economic systems since the Soviet Union and will be just modernized. Mutually complementary enterprises will get an innovative impetus. And some industries will be able to act together on the world stage.
Maxim Chirkov, associate professor at the Economics Faculty of Moscow State University, political scientist (Russia):
I'd say there are really many opportunities in many industries, and there is a number of industries and companies that could achieve some sort of synergy effect, for example if we talk about the production of potash fertilizers, companies like Belaruskali, the Russian company Uralkali. Russia and Belarus are major producers, and if they unite, then we'll see what this cooperation is capable of.
Together against sanctions
Experts also emphasize the new opportunities opening up in the conditions of sanctions pressure on Belarus and Russia. The combination of efforts to counteract gives a larger corridor for maneuvering and protection of our economies. And this means their independence from fluctuations in the world and individual countries in particular. Well, all the specific nuances and details will be known tomorrow.












