What topics did Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko address when they met in Russia?

Vladimir Putin‘s Conversation with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko June 9, 2023 Sochi

Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at Sochi, Russia.

Prior to the meeting, Lukashenko had said that he would present the Russian president with a development plan for the union between Moscow and Minsk in order to make it resistant to outside pressure.

After July 7 or 8, when construction on the required facilities is anticipated to be finished, Russian nuclear weapons will be deployed in Belarus. Vladimir Putin, the president, stated this.

Vladimir Putin: Alexander Grigoryevich!

Welcome first of all. Glad to see you.

I want to say again: the premieres have been working for several days now, they are working very well, actively. Now I’ll go to them, greet them. If you will, on your behalf too.

A. Lukashenko: I would be grateful if this is appropriate.

Vladimir Putin: Well, why not.

A. Lukashenko: Moreover, we are talking about them, Vladimir Vladimirovich.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, yes, of course. We will now discuss all these issues.

And on security issues, on issues of economic cooperation – there is something to talk about.

This cannot but rejoice us, but even unusually, pah-pah, unusually well – it is developing at a good pace, in any case. And the quality of interaction, the structure of our economic relations are changing in the right direction.

First of all, the emphasis today is not only on the traditional sectors of our cooperation, but also on high-tech areas. This cannot but rejoice. I’m not going to talk about the figures of the growing trade turnover now.

And from the point of view of security, we are now separately, we will talk face to face. In general, the situation is stable, I would even say good. We are confidently cooperating in this area.

On the most sensitive issues that we agreed on, everything is going according to plan. As you know, on July 7-8, the preparation of the relevant facilities will be completed, and we will immediately begin measures related to the deployment of the relevant types of weapons on your territory.

So everything is according to plan, everything is stable.

There is always something to talk about – we will do it today.

A. Lukashenko: Thank you, Vladimir Vladimirovich.

You correctly said: according to the plan. Back in Moscow, we agreed that we would cross paths at that time.

Just our prime ministers will work, and if any questions arise – after all, Belarusian-Russian relations are the core of the Eurasian Economic Union and the CIS – if there are any questions, we will respond. You will just be meeting with the prime ministers.

I think that this is a comprehensive, good event that we are holding. Yes, there are economic issues, but not problems – they are being solved.

And I should note that I have always criticized, as you said, governments, but here they work quite effectively.

There is room to move, you rightly said. The most important thing is that we know what to do and in what direction to move.

Vladimir Putin: And it turns out. Thank God it works.

A. Lukashenko: I’m already afraid – as you said about it: pah-pah-pah – to speak.

We thought it would be worse. But so far a little better than we thought, and thank God. So, slowly we will rebuild our relationship.

I have already publicly said at our meeting of the EurAsEC Security Council Secretaries that Russia and I will think over a plan of action in this situation. Hoping that the sanctions will be lifted – we don’t even need to talk about it: we need to focus on our strengths and on ourselves.

And if we work out such a plan of our actions, our partners will definitely get involved. I am sure that Kazakhstan, and within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Community and Uzbekistan, will create attractive conditions here.

Vladimir Putin: Yes.

A. Lukashenko: I am sure that our union within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union will only grow stronger.

Well, specialists need to work with governments. I think we can do it.

Vladimir Putin: I will talk to my colleagues now, I will talk to them, I will say a few words myself, I will listen to them and propose them in the evening – I will inform you about this, we will exchange views with you on what our colleagues have done during these few days of work in Sochi.

A. Lukashenko: Thank you.

<FULL CONVERSATION FROM KREMLIN>