Łukašenka meets another Russian governor, pledges cooperation

June 6, BPN. Belarus “is always ready to develop cooperation” with the Russian Far East, Alaksandr Łukašenka has told Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of Russia’s Primorsky krai, at their meeting in Minsk.

“The center of gravity of the economies of Russia and Belarus has shifted to the East today,” his press office quoted him as saying. Railways are struggling to cope with such intensive traffic and need assistance in expansion, he noted.

Belarus is well aware of the Primorsky krai’s needs and is ready to help, Łukašenka stressed. “If you need anything, we will work together in that direction,” he said. “We are not afraid of anyone. Everything we have is at your service. We have always helped and responded to your requests and demands and will do the same in the future.”

Since 2019, trade between Russia’s Primorsky krai and Belarus has grown six-fold to 7.6 billion Russian rubles (over $94 million), Kozhemyako said.

Russian governors regularly visit Belarus, unlike their Belarusian counterparts. Recently, Łukašenka met with the heads of Vladimir, Kaliningrad, Kaluga and Lipetsk provinces, the governor of St. Petersburg, as well as the leaders of Kalmykia and Tatarstan.