Belarus is interested in developing close cooperation with Ukraine. This could involve, for example, teaming up to access third-country markets with joint products, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko highlighted during the negotiations with Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko on 21 July, BelTA has learned.

“We have discussed the most sensitive matters of cooperation one-on-one. We will be moving forward in this direction. I told you we do not have any allergies. We do not trade or make friends against anyone. We want to work together in the markets of the distant arc countries and other states, manufacture joint products and sell them,” the head of state said. “We will make high-technology goods and export them together to foreign markets. This is what our one-on-one agreements were about,” Alexander Lukashenko remarked.

The president underlined that there is much to be done in trade and economic cooperation. “Our annual trade was once $8 billion. We did not reach this level this year but I believe we can exceed it,” the head of state noted.

He stressed the importance of expanding cooperation, setting up new joint industrial ventures and developing the existing ones. “We are establishing ventures in Ukraine. You are setting up facilities in Belarus. We are ready to move forward in this field. No questions here,” Alexander Lukashenko added.

The president thanked his Ukrainian counterpart for the warm and friendly atmosphere during the visit of the Belarusian delegation. He emphasized the fraternal nature of the relations between the two nations that was evident during the previous meeting between the presidents in Belarus' Polesye in April 2017. “The people who live there are devoted to Belarus-Ukraine friendship,” the Belarusian leader summarized.