Lukashenko Reveals His Agreement with Putin in Astana Regarding SPOT System

At a recent meeting in Astana, Belarusian and Russian Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin discussed Russia's introduction of the Confirmation of Waiting for Goods (SPOT) system. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko made this announcement during a meeting with Oleg Kozhemyako, Governor of Russia's Primorsky Krai, BelTA reports.

"There are always current problems. Russia has introduced the so-called SPOT. I'm afraid things will get worse. However, President Putin and I agreed in Astana that we will do everything we can to eliminate any delays or unnecessary bureaucracy. And most importantly, to eliminate all queues at the border. We are currently monitoring the situation at the border closely. We are in contact with President Putin to take timely measures. We'll see. Time will tell. We are fully aware of this. This may complicate our trade, but it won't stop it," the head of state said.

"We have absolute trust. You know, it's enough without any QR codes, without any documents: your word from Primorye – we will always be able to accept your products and create the conditions for their sale. We are concerned about our products flowing freely there, to Vladivostok," added Alexander Lukashenko.

The head of state noted that Belarus has opened a multi-brand center in Primorye, with stores selling Belarusian products that are in demand in the region.

"Quality," Oleg Kozhemyako emphasized.

As reported by BELTA, Russia introduced the SPOT system on June 1 of this year. This is a state-run digital system for monitoring the import of goods from EAEU countries (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan). The system applies to road transport.

The mechanism is said to be introduced to combat gray imports and VAT evasion, and to ensure that taxes are paid before goods cross the border. Importers are now required to submit details of upcoming deliveries to the Federal Tax Service of Russia in advance and submit an electronic notification. Before the actual import of the goods, the importer must make a security deposit confirming the validity of the transaction, after which the system generates a QR code. The applicant then transmits this QR code to the carrier, without which the vehicle will not be able to cross the border or deliver the goods to the Russian Federation.

It was also reported that on May 29, the Russian government adopted a resolution stipulating that the security deposit established by the SPOT legislation is not required to be paid when importing goods into the Russian Federation from the Republic of Belarus between June 1 and October 31, 2026, provided the following conditions are met: the goods are imported from Belarus into Russia via the Russian-Belarusian section of the state border; and the supplier of the goods is an organization or individual entrepreneur established (registered) in accordance with Belarusian law.