The Russian president said that “unprecedented political and social pressure from the so-called collective West is pushing us to speed up the unification process” in order to minimize the damage from sanctions.
The Russian president Vladimir Putin He said today that political pressure from the West was accelerating its integration Belarus with its neighbor Russia, which had been going on for more than two decades.
“Unprecedented political and social pressures from the so-called collective West are pushing us to accelerate the integration process: together to minimize the damage from illegal sanctions, to simplify the production of the required products, to develop new capabilities, to expand cooperation. with friendly countries “Putin said in a bilateral forum.
The two neighboring Slavic countries signed the Union Treaty in June 1997, which aimed to restore some ties that had been severed after its collapse. Soviet Union.
However, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko’s enthusiasm for closer political integration is growing, as is Belarus’ economic dependence on its much larger and richer cousin (Russia).
Lukashenko became more obliged to Moscow in late 2020, when Putin began to support him politically and financially, as he broke the wave of anti-government protests that erupted after the presidential election, the result of which, according to the opposition, was the product of fraud.
In February, Lukashenko allowed Russia to use Belarus as a starting point for some Russian armored phalanxes that invaded Belarus’ southern neighbor, Ukraine.
The Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu said last week that the two countries should take urgent action to improve their defense capabilities and combat readiness. It has also been reported that Moscow will carry nuclear-capable weapons systems and upgrade Belarus warplanes to carry nuclear weapons.
According Treaty of the Unioneach country remains independent, but grants the citizens of the other state residence and citizenship rights.
While the union promotes economic integration and strengthens mutual defense in the event of an attack, efforts to establish a single currency failed almost two decades ago.
, Skai.gr
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