Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko sees great opportunities in Belarus-Russia joint import substitution efforts

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MINSK, 19 December (BelTA) – There are great opportunities in Belarus-Russia joint import substitution efforts. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement after negotiations with President of Russia Vladimir Putin in Minsk on 19 December, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “When Western partners left, we happened to be in demand for huge Russia. And it is our common thing that we were creating just recently. We can do something from here. And if we are needed (and now Russia found out that they need us on the Russian market), we go there to replace those, who have left. We will replace them if given a bit of time. Together with Russian scientists and engineers we will create products that the world has never seen. Those are not some visionary ambitions. We’ve already accomplished a lot. And our GDP has not plummeted by 20-25% as they projected.”

In turn, Vladimir Putin noted: “Now when some of our Western partners are leaving our market, indeed, windows of opportunities are opening up for Belarusian manufacturers. And Belarusian goods sell very well on the Russian market.”

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