Increased cooperation between Moscow and Minsk suggested as response to sanctions
10:45, 2 February
Photo: soyuz.by
The increased cooperation between Moscow and Minsk will be the response to the growing sanctions pressure on Belarus and Russia, State Secretary of the Union State of Belarus and Russia Dmitry Mezentsev told the Russian news agency TASS.
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"Advancing cooperation between Moscow and Minsk, primarily economic integration, will be a proper response to the sanctions pressure of the West on Belarus and Russia," Dmitry Mezentsev said when asked whether Minsk will find an alternate route for its potash fertilizers after Lithuania's decision to block their transit through its port.
"Whatever the forms and formats the pressure on Belarus and Russia takes on, no matter how unreasonable and self-damaging the actions of the neighbors and partners of Russia and Belarus may be, the countries will find a proper response, and it lies in the increased economic integration, mutual understanding and partnership between the governments, ministries and regions of the two countries," the state secretary of the Union State said.
On 12 January, the Lithuanian government decided to annul the agreement on the transit of Belarusian fertilizers from 1 February in the light of the U.S. sanctions imposed against Belaruskali on 8 December. Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko instructed the government to take retaliatory measures within a few days if Lithuania moves to block the transit of Belarusian goods through its ports.
