Putin, 13. Rusya-Belarus Bölgeler Forumu'na Video Mesaj Gönderdi

Address to participants in the 13th Forum of Russian and Belarusian Regions

Vladimir Putin delivered a video address to the participants in the 13th Forum of Regions of Russia and Belarus. President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Ms Kochanova, Ms Matviyenko, friends, I am delighted to send my greetings to the participants and organisers of the 13th Forum of Regions of Russia and Belarus which takes place, as usual, ahead of the Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus. Celebrated on July 3, it marks the anniversary of Minsk’s liberation from Nazi invaders. Let me convey my heartfelt congratulations to all our friends in Belarus on this national holiday. Russia will always remember that our two nations stood shoulder to shoulder during the Great Patriotic War and endured immense sacrifices to defend their freedom and independence, as well as to bring peace to Europe and the entire humankind. Importantly, Russia and Belarus have been cherishing and expanding their traditions of brotherly friendship and mutual support while reinforcing their historical, cultural and spiritual bonds. Russia and Belarus have forged a genuinely strategic relationship, and the Union State we form serves as a model of mutually beneficial and equal integration. It makes a tangible contribution to deepening cooperation within associations such as the Eurasian Economic Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation. Region-to-region ties serve as one of the main drivers of Russia’s partnership with Belarus and efforts to develop the Union State. They offer a solid foundation for steadily advancing cooperation between our two countries across various tracks, including in politics and security, social and humanitarian affairs, and in the economy, of course. Held regularly, the forums of regions bring together representatives of federal and local governments, legislators and business leaders, as well as experts and civil society activists – all those who are committed to establishing and developing direct contacts between Russian and Belarusian regions. This year, over 600 delegates from 73 regions of the Russian Federation arrived in the capital of Belarus, including governors, heads of regional legislative assemblies, members of parliament, ministers, and corporate executives. Belarus has an equally prominent delegation at the forum. A solid package of agreements and business contracts signed during the forum demonstrates our shared commitment to achieving tangible results. The topic you are discussing – Economic Cooperation of Regions – Foundation for Sustainable Development of Russia and Belarus – is extremely relevant in today’s world. Let me note that it is largely thanks to close region-to-region economic ties that we were able to set a new record in our bilateral trade last year. According to our statistics, it was equal to US$52 billion. This year, this growth pattern is set to continue with a 7 percent increase in the first quarter. Our countries have been carrying out all their transactions in national currencies. There has been a proactive effort to harmonise laws governing trade, investment and finance. We are unifying our approaches to customs and tax administration and are introducing a unified quality control framework. The Union State Committee for Standardisation and Quality held its first meeting during this forum. Russia is second to none in terms of accumulated investment in the Belarusian economy, with about US$4 billion in investment. Companies with Russian capital operate across all regions of Belarus – their overall number is about 2,500. To be continued.