By Maxim Korotkin: President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko will pay a visit to Russia to attend today’s meeting of the Union State Supreme State Council, which will consider key issues of the Union State’s further functioning, including budget formation, foreign policy coordination and the development of the social and humanitarian spheres.
The meeting’s agenda is expected to cover a total of 11 questions, focusing on economic and trade cooperation results over the past two years and setting development priorities for the future.
Traditionally, the working day will begin with a bilateral meeting between Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin.
One of the main topics on the agenda is the economy. The Russian Federation is still Belarus’ number one trading partner – in 2014 the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to more than 37 billion dollars. In turn, Belarus is Russia’s fifth partner in terms of bilateral trade in the world and the first in the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The Foreign Ministers of the two countries and the head of the Russian Economic Development Ministry will report to the Presidents on economic and trade cooperation results and the implementation of a concerted action programme in the field of foreign policy. State Secretary of the Union State Grigory Rapota will speak primarily on budget related topics, such as the implementation of the Union’s main financial document over the past period and plans for the current year. Separately, the participants will consider proposal concerning Union State development priorities for the medium term.
A number of bilateral documents are expected to be signed. At this point, four agreements are being prepared for adoption. The meeting will be followed by a working dinner.
