MOSCOW, April 6 Presidents of Russia and Belarus Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko will hold a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State today.
The Belarusian leader flew to Moscow the day before to have a private talk with Putin. The Russian President noted the successful work in all areas, including cooperation in the international arena, issues of ensuring the security of states and in the economic sphere. Lukashenka agreed and stated that even under pressure, the countries did not collapse.
Security Issues Moscow and Minsk agreed to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Putin explained that this does not violate international obligations, since Russia does not transfer its arsenal to a neighboring state.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on April 4 that the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system capable of using nuclear missiles was handed over to the Armed Forces of Belarus, and training of Belarusian crews to use it has already begun. In addition, some of the Belarusian ground attack aircraft were reequipped for nuclear weapons.
Lukashenko, in his message to the people and the parliament of Belarus, said that, if necessary, he could agree with Moscow on the introduction of strategic nuclear weapons into the republic. Then he proposed to stop hostilities in Ukraine and declare a truce without the right to move equipment and transfer weapons from both sides.
Putin admitted that he had seen the message and was ready to discuss the topics voiced there.
The agenda of the Supreme State Council According to the press service of the Belarusian leader, the meeting participants on April 6 will consider the progress in the implementation of the main directions of the implementation of the Treaty on the Establishment of the Union State for 2021-2023 and union programs. Another key topic is the development of a security concept for the Union State. At the meeting, the results will be summed up and joint work for the coming period will be discussed.
Ambassador of Belarus to Moscow Dmitry Krutoy said that the presidents will hear the plans of governments for 2023 and the progress of 28 union programs.
At the end of 2021, the Supreme State Council approved the main directions for the implementation of the agreement on the creation of the Union State for 2021-2023, including 28 sectoral programs, as well as the concepts of migration policy and an updated military doctrine. The implementation of union programs is intended to lay the foundation for the formation of a common economic space in the interests of citizens and entrepreneurs of both countries. Recently, Russian Ambassador to Minsk Boris Gryzlov noted that 74 percent of the events prescribed in the programs have already been implemented.
Secretary of State of the Union State Dmitry Mezentsev told journalists that at the meeting of the Supreme State Council it is planned to consider the concept of the union's information security, which will be, to a certain extent, a response to the situation in Eastern Europe. Mezentsev added that the agenda of the meeting could include issues related to the Union budget, the abolition of roaming between the two countries, as well as the symbols of the Union State.