Negotiations Between Lukashenko and Putin To Have Practical Effects for Residents of Union State

This is Alexander Lukashenko's first foreign trip following his re-election as head of state. Traditionally, the negotiations with his Russian counterpart will take place in the Kremlin.

Initially, the meeting will be held in a one-on-one format, followed by an expanded session involving delegation members.

The heads of state are set to discuss the development of cooperation, prospective areas of interaction, and joint work within the Union State, while also addressing topics on the international agenda.

As announced by the official Kremlin, the talks between Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin will be substantive; all topics discussed will have practical effects for the residents of the Union State.

At the forefront is, of course, the economy. Today, Belarus and Russia are not just allies but strategic partners. Sanctions have worked in their favor, leading to the creation of joint projects in engineering, agriculture, space, science, and education. This has resulted in record trade turnover, which nearly reached $60 billion last year. Moreover, all products are of high quality and can compete in global markets.

Alexander Nemtsov, Political Scientist:

"Belarusian products are regarded by many Russian manufacturers as benchmarks, examples for the entire Union State, including our producers. Many governors and industrialists say: 'We need to do it like in Belarus.' This indicates that the development vector chosen by the country, particularly under the guidance of Alexander Lukashenko, resonates well in Russia."

Another important topic of the negotiations is security. Recently, Moscow and the Moscow Region were attacked by drones, resulting in casualties. Belarus, as Russia's closest ally, also faces provocations from unfriendly neighbors like Poland and the Baltic states. It is no coincidence that the security concept of the Union State was approved, along with the signing of an intergovernmental treaty on security guarantees.

Andrei Manoylo, Political Scientist, Professor at Lomonosov Moscow State University:

"Europeans are actively preparing for war against Russia and Belarus because our two countries do not suit them, primarily due to our sovereignty and the fact that we independently determine our external and internal policies. Russia and Belarus do not dance to anyone’s tune, and this is what discontents the Europeans. Therefore, we need to enhance our collective security system at the same pace, or perhaps even faster, to maintain our combined strength at a distance from the Europeans."

It is likely that the discussions will also cover the recent negotiations between the United States and Ukraine, such as how acceptable the proposed terms for resolving the conflict are for Russia, as well as the militarization of Europe.

The negotiations will take place in both narrow and expanded formats. A large press conference for journalists with the Belarusian and Russian presidents is planned to follow up on the discussions.