Meeting with Governor of Russia’s Arkhangelsk Oblast Alexander Tsybulsky

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with Governor of Russia's Arkhangelsk Oblast Alexander Tsybulsky in Minsk on 24 August.

"As far as cooperation is concerned, we must honestly admit that we have significantly lowered the bar in trade. But everything is within our power. We used to have roughly three times higher trade than we do now. We need to restore it and find appropriate ways to do so. We should not wait on the sidelines for someone to come and offer us solutions," the Belarusian leader said.

Speaking about the prospects for economic cooperation, the head of state drew attention to the similarities between Arkhangelsk Oblast and Belarus: a significant portion of their territories are covered by forests. This necessitates certain types of work in logging and reforestation. In this regard, Belarus has preserved, since Soviet times, an entire sector dedicated to the manufacturing of specialized machinery and further developed it. This is handled by AMKODOR Holding Company. New domestic models are often sent to Russia for testing. "In this area, we can successfully cooperate with you," the Belarusian leader said.

Another promising area for cooperation is the mining industry. For example, Belarusian BelAZ haul trucks are already used by Alrosa, a company engaged in exploration, extraction, processing, and sale of rough diamonds. "Today, AI and robotics have made significant inroads across various sectors in every country. That's why we have supplied you with BelAZ robotic systems, which are also undergoing trials at your sites. I am confident they will prove themselves well, as we have already seen them in operation in Belarus," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

In addition, Belarusian passenger transport and elevator equipment traditionally enjoy strong demand in Russian regions. There is also potential for cooperation with Arkhangelsk Oblast in these areas.

"Arkhangelsk is the northern region. It is not easy for you to work in agriculture and produce the necessary food. If we can be of any help to you in that regard, please don't hesitate. The best, most delicious, and highest-quality food (and this is widely recognized) comes from Belarus," the President emphasized.

Among the possible areas for developing cooperation with the Russian region, the head of state also highlighted energy and the maintenance of life-support systems in populated areas. "All of this has been preserved since Soviet times, and we have it all," he noted.

According to him, there are extensive opportunities for cooperation in education and science. "If Arkhangelsk Oblast is interested, we are ready to lend a hand. I believe our education system is the best in the post-Soviet space. This is because we have not abandoned the old experience, but rather built upon what we inherited. In the Soviet Union, the standard of education was exceptionally high. I doubt that anyone in the world has achieved such a level," the head of state noted.

The President noted that through cooperation with the Russian side, Belarus is developing new sectors, such as aircraft manufacturing. Together, the two countries are also working in space as joint satellites have been launched into orbit. "Today this is in high demand. The military operation has shown that Russia cannot do without it. We are doing a serious work on this front," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Continuing on the topic of military-industrial cooperation, the President highlighted the significant achievements of the domestic defense industry, which have been made possible in part thanks to support from the Russian side. For Arkhangelsk Oblast, cooperation in the defense sector may not be as relevant, but if needed, Belarus is ready to provide assistance.

"The Arctic zone today is an area where interests collide, and you will have to deal with it. If we can be of any use to you, we will always be ready to cooperate," the Belarusian leader emphasized. "We have learned to do a great deal on our own with Russia's help. We started together with the Russians. Today, we produce enough to meet the needs of our defense industry."

"I have never hidden the cooperation between our military-industrial complex and your enterprises, the Defense Ministry. We cooperation in the past and will continue cooperating in the future. So take a look around to see whether some of our technologies may be of use to you," the President noted.

Aleksandr Lukashenko assured that all agreements reached will certainly be fulfilled by the Belarusian side.