Gas deliveries to Europe through Belarus are becoming increasingly important, said Vladimir Putin in Minsk. The president and other top Russian officials arrived there for a meeting of the Union State Supreme State Council. It's been a year since it was last held, and there are many issues to discuss. However, given this evening's event, football was on the agenda too.
Our observer Pavel Zarubin is reporting from Minsk.
On such an important day, the presidents of Russia and Belarus also start discussing bilateral relations with football.
Alexander Lukashenko: "It's a good start for the battle in St. Petersburg. Let's hope that it will go as well as Russia would like. We are on your side in this respect".
Key members of the delegation revealed what Russia "would like." They'll be glued to the TV during the broadcast.
— Will you watch the match tonight on the Rossiya TV channel?
Valentina Matvienko: Well, of course, good luck! The whole country will root for them, I'm convinced. It's a huge advantage to have home-field support.
During the first match, the Minister of Energy even made a prediction. His daughter posted the video from the stadium.
— When the score was 2 to 0, you predicted 5 to 0. What will the score be now?
Alexander Novak, Energy Minister: Sports are unpredictable, although we all believe in our team, we're sure that they'll get out of the group. Today's match is decisive. I think that the Russian team will win.
When approaching Minsk, the Russian delegation saw a huge inscription on a field through the windows of the plane. a year ago, the tractors of the Minsk plant plowed 47 acres in such a way that it reads "Belarus is a country of dreams." The country of dreams forms the Union State with Russia. The two states share many aspirations, of which many have already been accomplished.
Vladimir Putin: "The joint statement which we've just signed reiterates our mutual desire to strengthen and expand the strategic partnership between Russia and Belarus. We intend to pursue a coordinated macroeconomic, monetary, currency, price, and tax policy".
The two countries pursue a coordinated foreign policy too, which is especially important in especially tense international conditions, as Lavrov put it.
Sergey Lavrov: "Our Belarusian friends supported us in unequivocally in firmly condemning the missile strikes delivered by the United States, Britain, and France against Syria in April of this year. Not all members of the world community had enough independence for a principled reaction to this gross violation of international law".
However, there are also issues that could obviously be solved, but no progress is visible. The issue has been long discussed, but there are still roaming charges between Russia and Belarus. After arriving in, for example, Minsk, Russian citizens pay 16 cents for every minute of conversation, 31 cents for every text message, and data roaming is even more expensive.
Problems around agricultural product deliveries are arising now and then. What Lukashenko said today, and how he said it, emphasizes how sensitive the issue is.
Alexander Lukashenko: "Russian agricultural exports to Belarus per capita exceed our exports to Russia. An interesting fact. I don't mention any figures, find them on your own. But the margin is huge".
— Is the Union State of Belarus and Russia developing economically, standing still, or degrading?
Maxim Oreshkin, Minister of Economic Development: Just look at trade, it grows by over 20% year after year.
Vladimir Putin: "With these positive dynamics in place, $50 billion in bilateral trade is well within our reach. Late 2019 will see the launch of the first reactor at the Belarusian nuclear power plant, and 2020 will see the launch of the second one".
Alexei Likhachev, Rosatom CEO: "2.5 gigawatts will work for the Belarusian economy".
The transit of Russian gas is crucial for the Belarusian economy. Russia will invest 3.5 billion dollars in updating the country's gas transportation system.
Vladimir Putin: "Given the poor technical condition of other routes for exporting Russian hydrocarbons to Europe, gas in particular, the Belarusian route has assumed more importance".
There will be new underground gas storage facilities in Belarus too.
Pavel Zarubin, Alexander Medvedev, Alexander Makarov, and Pyotr Rovnov for Vesti from Minsk.
