Russia, Belarus PMs Discuss Integration, Energy Issues

The prime ministers of Russia and Belarus, Dmitry Medvedev and Sergei Rumas, have discussed issues concerning the planned economic integration of the two countries, as well as trade and economic subjects in a telephone call initiated by Minsk, TASS reported on Saturday.

The conversation also included a number of issues related to the energy dialogue, according to the press service of Russia’s cabinet of ministers.

“Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Rumas considered practical aspects of the Russian-Belarusian cooperation in the integration field and in the trade and economic area, including several issues of the energy dialogue, in a telephone conversation,” the statement said.

The sides also discussed the dates of future governmental contacts.

The press service of Belarus’ Council of Ministers reported that “heads of governments have discussed ways to solve pressing issues on oil and gas supplies in 2020.” 

“Sergei Rumas and Dmitry Medvedev agreed to have a telephone conversation next week, after the meeting of heads of the working group on drafting proposals for further development of the Belarusian-Russian integration,” the press service of the Belarusian government said.

Earlier this month, Minsk and Moscow marked the 20th anniversary of the signing of the treaty to create the Union State of Russia and Belarus. Minsk and Moscow planned to approve the program to deepen integration consisting of 31 integration roadmaps by that landmark date. The two countries’ governments had prepared issues, on which no agreements were made, for presidents’ consideration. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko held an hours-long meeting in Sochi, which showed that the number of divisive issues related to integration are slowly decreasing, with eight roadmaps left unapproved.