A vector for a new stage of integration development in all areas has been set during the Supreme State Council of the Union State (SSC) meeting. This was stated by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on February 26, following the SSC meeting, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.
"We have set a vector for a new stage of integration development in all areas," emphasized the Belarusian leader. In particular, an instruction has been given to prepare the Main Directions for the implementation of the provisions of the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State for the next cycle, 2027-2029.
Alexander Lukashenko asked the members of the SSC, the governments and parliaments of Belarus and Russia, as well as the Standing Committee of the Union State, to take the implementation of the adopted instructions under serious control with maximum personal involvement.
Furthermore, the President expressed his gratitude to everyone for the serious and comprehensive preparation of the current SSC meeting. The head of the Belarusian state also addressed words of thanks to media representatives for their significant work in popularizing the integration agenda and the decisions made at the highest level in the interests of the citizens of Belarus and Russia.
Following the meeting, the State Secretary of the Union State, Sergey Glazyev, told reporters that a very important item on the agenda was the report on the implementation of the Main Directions for the implementation of the provisions of the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State for 2024-2026.
"Practically half of all the tasks of this document have been completed. There is no doubt that the rest will be completed by the end of the year," said the State Secretary. "It is very important that instructions have been given for the development of the Main Directions for the next three-year period, 2027-2029. We expect that the level of integration, the coordination of our policies in all spheres, as well as cooperation not only in the economy, but also in the scientific and technical sphere, social and cultural policy will receive a new impetus. As Alexander Grigoryevich said, a new stage in the development of our integration is opening."
Sergey Glazyev stated that within the framework of the Union State, the parties intend to further strengthen cooperation in the field of security. Four programs are being implemented – in the areas of defense, security, information exchange, and information protection. He noted that the militarization at the western borders undoubtedly causes concern. "This unjustified aggressiveness, the escalation of tension requires strengthening defense capabilities. Our heads of state have spoken about this," said the State Secretary.
The implementation of a number of other programmes will also continue. In addition, a new programme, "Soyuz-Biomembranes", has been launched. It involves the creation of an experimental stand to test the capabilities of drug access into the human body and their passage through cell membranes. This is a serious scientific and technical challenge that currently has no solution. We hope that our scientists will be able to solve this problem within three years, and our pharmaceutical industry will receive a model stand on which the effectiveness of medicinal products on the human body at the cellular level can be tested," said the Secretary of State of the Union State.
The agenda of the meeting includes a report by government representatives on the work to implement the Main Directions for the implementation of the provisions of the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State for 2024-2026. "Currently, only 40% of sectoral activities (125 out of 310) have been completed. The process is lagging behind schedule for a relatively small number of assignments (14 - only 4.5%)," said the President.
Alexander Lukashenko stated that, in parallel, it is necessary to ensure the preparation of substantive Main Directions for the next three-year period – from 2027 to 2029. "And, most importantly, to fulfil them. They should be primarily focused on ensuring the technological sovereignty of the Union State and technical parity with other countries. Moreover, we can do this, as we are successfully doing in certain areas in specific sectors," emphasised the Head of State.
The Head of State noted that on April 2, the 30th anniversary of the Treaty on the Establishment of the Community of Belarus and Russia, which laid the foundation for the development of union building, will be celebrated. "We have come a long way over these years," stressed the Belarusian leader.
According to the President, mutual access to markets has allowed the trade turnover to increase 8-fold over the past years – from $6.5 billion in 1996 to almost $55 billion in 2025.
According to the President, the soon-to-be-launched cross-border railway services on the Vitebsk – Smolensk and Orsha – Smolensk routes will expand opportunities for citizens of the Union State.
"I often note, and I have said this to Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin (Prime Minister of Russia. - BELTA's note). He often says today that we will strengthen and accelerate our cooperation in transportation. As soon as you introduced additional "Lastochkas" (high-speed trains regularly running between Minsk and Moscow. - BELTA's note), a huge number of Belarusians travelled to Moscow. And today, they are no longer sufficient," said Alexander Lukashenko. "Vladimir Vladimirovich, I must note (I was just informed yesterday): our fugitives are already concerned that Belarusians are not travelling to Europe at all. Everyone is going east. Fewer are going to China. More are going to Moscow, to the Russian Federation. That's what it means to work from the ground up. We are doing what our people need."
"Our interregional events are very important. Today, the Chinese have already offered us: 'On the principle of how you work with Russia, let's work – region to region.' Iran, about six months ago, also wants such cooperation," said Alexander Lukashenko.
"It is clearer on the ground what people need. Therefore, I am grateful to the parliamentarians, especially the senators, for initiating this process. And I very much hope that the Russian government will be committed to our union building, and we will fulfill all the instructions, our agreements, and decisions that we make at joint events," noted the head of state.