Over the course of the 3-day negotiations in Sochi, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko discussed not only the current bilateral relations between Russia and Belarus but also the prospects of their future development, including the case when the two countries will have different presidents. The presidents discussed it today at their joint press conference. In particular, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko agreed to analyze the performance of various agreements in the framework of the treaty on the Union State.
Vladimir Putin: "This December, the treaty on the Union State will be 20 years old. And the president of Belarus and I have agreed to analyze everything that has been done recently. We'll make sure that we're on the same page in this integration agenda. Given that even other parallel integration processes are developing, including the EurAsEC, we should learn where we're ahead and where we fall a bit behind the EurAsEC. Originally, it was based on the agreements reached within the framework of the Union State".
Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus: "We should analyze the development of our union relations between Russia and Belarus, our treaty on the union, what we haven't performed over the last few years. We frankly tell each other that we won't stay in power forever. We'll leave one day. What will we leave to our children?"
Independence and sovereignty were discussed at the press conference. In particular, Vladimir Putin noted that in the modern world, all states depend on each other. While answering the questions of journalists, Alexander Lukashenko stated that Russia and Belarus are ready to unite if their peoples are ready for it.
Alexander Lukashenko: “We're as ready as you are to do as much to unite our efforts, states, and peoples Look, the two of us can unite tomorrow, there's no problem. But are you, Russians and Belarusians, ready for it? This is the question. Are you ready to compromise or trade your sovereignty today? I don't mean independence. For me, independence is a relative term.”
Vladimir Putin: There simply aren't any fully independent state in the world.
Alexander Lukashenko: I'd add that this includes even Russia.
- I mean every country, a very big or a small one... The modern world is a world of interdependence. Look at what's going on in, say, Western Europe. The European Parliament adopts more decisions which every EU member is obliged to obey than the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted such decisions for the Soviet republics in its time. Is that independence? Or look at military alliances, such as NATO. Do you think that any European country wants American intermediate-range missiles to appear in Europe? Nobody wants that. They just keep their mouth shut. Where's their sovereignty?
Before the negotiations began, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko visited the education center Sirius. It was opened four years ago by the decision of the Russian president. The main object of this project is to identify and support gifted children. Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko walked around the classrooms where they were told about the center's students' projects. Among other things, they were shown a new genetic lab and a unique system of hockey analytics, Iceberg, The latter was developed in Russia to select and train young hockey players. At the end of the excursion, the president of Belarus asked where the students of the center are going to work after they finish their studies.
Alexander Lukashenko: Will your job prospects be in all over the world or in Russia? I mean, can you find a job anywhere around the world if they invite you?
- Yes, these are quite general skills. I mean that if you can work, then I think that it'll be in demand anywhere around the world.
Vladimir Putin: Let them work wherever they want.
- Yes.
- And we should create the best conditions for their skills to be applied.
