Union State format fully ensures security

The Union State is unique since this format fully ensures security in a broad sense, including economic, informational and military spheres — as stated by President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko during his speech at the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on March 14th

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The Head of State said, “The powerful starting conditions of the Belarusian-Russian integration created a solid foundation for its stability and wide opportunities for development in the military, economic and political spheres.” According to him, these include, in particular: the deep common history of Belarusian and Russian peoples; common guidelines and similar national interests; the expediency of unification related to geographical and infrastructural advantages; the constant focus on concrete results since integration entails expanding opportunities for citizens and organisations.
As noted by Aleksandr Lukashenko, the Union State’s internal stability has been enhanced by legally established strategic approaches. The 28 sectoral programmes adopted have made it possible to unify legislation, launch import substitution projects and actually breathe new life into the agreement signed by the two countries in 1999.

“The Union State is unique since it is a more advanced format of bilateral relations, which has no analogues in the world. Thanks to our joint work, it is a living organism that makes it possible, depending on the circumstances, to choose the tools we need, develop and test new working methods. 

The latest frenzied sanctions of the West are a vivid example. It is this format that fully ensures security in a broad sense — from economic and informational to military — while demonstrating a high level of co-operation against the background of logistical disruptions and problems with financial calculations,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
Touching upon the issues of ensuring the security of the Union State, the Head of State noted, “I have already voiced — and the experience of the Soviet Union has confirmed — that the position of only economically prosperous, strong states and unions is taken into consideration by others. If we act alone, then nobody would care about us. Therefore, the President of Russia and I have agreed to defend our common Fatherland together.”
The joint military arsenal includes the regional grouping of troops of Belarus and Russia and the united regional air defence system. Tactical nuclear weapons have been transferred to Belarus, and the latest Oreshnik hypersonic weapon systems will soon be put into service with the Belarusian army.

“After the adoption of the Military Doctrine, the Security Concept of the Union State and the Treaty on Security Guarantees within the framework of the Union State, we have reached an unprecedented level of strategic partnership and co-ordination in the military sphere. The key tenets of these documents, such as the priority of preventive measures, indivisible security, equality and mutual consideration of the interests of all states, have formed the Union State security standard,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.

Commenting on the issues of Belarus-Russia co-operation in the field of science and innovation, the Head of State noted, “At the initial stage, our Union State joint programmes addressed the tasks of supporting individual enterprises and industries (remember, there were the Union State TV Set or the Union State Engine programmes). At present, the Union State programmes are aimed at creating and developing new advanced areas of science and technology.”
In the field of space alone, eight programmes have been implemented with the participation of Belarus’ National Academy of Sciences, the President said. Last March, a crew with the first Belarusian female cosmonaut was launched into orbit. A Russian-Belarusian spacecraft has been developed and is being operated as part of a group of satellites for Earth remote sensing. A new satellite with an ultra-precise resolution of up to 35 centimetres is currently being developed.

“The construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant has become the most high-tech and large-scale project in the history of Belarusian-Russian relations. Together with the Russian side, the creation of a nuclear research and technology centre is under consideration,” the Belarusian leader said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko added that unique developments for the treatment of children with spinal pathology, oncological, neurological and other diseases using cell technologies have become a real breakthrough in the two countries’ healthcare systems.
“We have learnt to produce top-class medical products in the field of orthopaedics and traumatology. These and other areas are enshrined in the Union State sci-tech development strategy until 2035,” the Head of State said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko urged not to go too far ahead in developing artificial intelligence (AI). When it comes to IT technologies in general and AI in particular, which is very popular these days, the President takes the position that it is necessary to deal with it, of course, but not too far. “So that the society would not understand and perceive these steps at all,” he explained.
Aleksandr Lukashenko said that even high-level foreign experts, with whom he had talked and who are engaged in the topic of artificial intelligence, do not know where the development of this technology could ultimately lead. “They don’t have an answer to these questions. When I asked them if we would be needed eventually, they said they don’t know. So I asked them why are we doing this, you’re leading us to it. The answer was: it is profitable, that’s why we do it,” the Head of State shared the details of his closed meetings.
“Yes, it is necessary to be half a step, one step ahead. Our common history teaches us this,” the President said. “Do not think that I am going backwards. It is not necessary to do something that today, tomorrow, and maybe even the day after tomorrow will not be necessary for people, but will be incomprehensible to them. 

That’s why I believe we should deal with AI, and we should do what we need today and tomorrow. However, we shouldn’t scare people with this artificial intelligence, because more than 90 percent of society has heard about it, but they don’t understand what it is.”

Informal meeting between Lukashenko, Putin and Rahmon, their joint phone call to Aliyev 

The Kremlin informed about an informal meeting between the presidents of Belarus, Russia and Tajikistan, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin and Emomali Rahmon, as well as their joint telephone conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, President of the Republic of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko and President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, who were holding a joint informal meeting, contacted President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev by phone. During their warm, friendly conversation, the leaders discussed a number of topical issues of further development of interstate relations.
The heads of state agreed to meet on May 9th in Moscow during celebrations dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Unprecedented level of personal communication

There was a lot of informal communication between presidents of Belarus and Russia, Aleksandr Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin, during the official visit of the Belarusian leader to Russia — as noted by President’s Press Secretary Natalya Eismont in her talk with the Belarus 1 TV channel.
“We understand that informal meetings between the two countries’ leaders are held in a working format, and the presidents spend a great deal of time discussing working issues, but in a more comfortable, friendly atmosphere. On Thursday [March 13th], they talked one-on-one for an hour. Then they also talked before the press conference, and as all members of the delegations who received substantive instructions from the President told us, they had time to discuss a huge range  of issues already on Thursday. The current agenda is broad: bilateral relations, and especially the world situation, the regional situation, and the changing global transformations. Therefore, of course, the presidents have a lot to talk about.”
The President’s Press Secretary emphasised that there was a lot of informal communication between Aleksandr Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin, “As usual. First of all, the nature of their relations is absolutely friendly, very deep. I would even say, unprecedented, it is personal. This, of course, primarily works for the common Union State agenda.”

Based on materials of sb.by and belta.by