Negotiations in Sochi between Belarus and Russia

Belarus - Russia: development of relations, integration and production of Russian vaccine in Belarus. This is the range of topics discussed today in Sochi by the presidents of the two countries. Our relations were tested by the pandemic. Yet, the volume of trade amounted to about $29 billion. This is a decent figure, given the difficult conditions in which we had to work. Russia is still our major trade and economic partner and investor. Strong relations and many years of work in a challenging year helped us launch our own nuclear power plant. Indeed, there are plenty of such high-profile projects where we are together. And as it became clear today, Belarus and Russia are eager to continue close economic integration in the future. 

We will also fight together for the health of our people. Russia has passed the technologies of its vaccine production. One of the Belarusian enterprises will start producing it in March. 

2020 was a real stress-test for the economies. Without mutual support, it would not be easy.  Belarus received a Russian loan of half a billion dollars, most of which our country used to fight the pandemic, and open a nuclear power plant. Not every country can afford such projects in difficult times. And the figure of mutual trade in the region of 29 billion dollars is also indicative. Not everyone has been able to do achieve such a result with closed borders. 

Earlier this year, Russia gave our country a batch of its vaccine Sputnik against COVID-19. The "risk groups" including doctors, teachers and trade workers, were the first to receive the vaccine. Thanks to the agreement of the Presidents, our country became the first country to get this technology. It became known at the meeting that the Russian vaccine will be available in Belarus in March. 

Of course we can't be too careful now. Everyone understands we will be repeatedly tested and we will have to prove the viability of our partnership. But we are ready for it. We have never gone through a difficult period alone.