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Ukraine–Belarus: Quality impetus to development

Photo by Mykola LAZARENKO

Apparently, the visit of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to Ukraine has outmatched the expectations of both sides. On the one hand, Kyiv has managed to achieve a breakthrough in the question of common border demarcation, which to a certain extent hindered the development of bilateral relations between the two countries. On the other hand, Lukashenko’s dream came true as he visited his favorite city of Kyiv after a 12-year break.

“This visit has given a quality impetus to the development of our relations,” Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said, characterizing the results of the negotiations with his Belarusian counterpart. “We have agreed to finish the process of the legalizing our common border in the form of an agreement and today I can inform the Ukrainian and Belarusian societies that in the joint Ukrainian-Belarusian communique we have agreed with President Lukashenko to submit the agreement on the state border between Ukraine and Belarus for ratification to the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus,” the head of the Ukrainian state said at the joint conference with Belarusian president. According to Yushchenko, the sides have already resolved the question concerning the readmission agreement. There is no doubt that the Belarusian parliament with predominating pro-presidential force will support every resolution made by Lukashenko.

On his part, the Belarusian president also said that the sides have finished the legislative regulation of their relations by signing 70 agreements so far. “As heads of the states, we have done everything in order to remove any barriers for the movement of people, goods, and capital between our countries,” he noted.

Lukashenko also gave Yushchenko credit for his “colossal support” of Belarus in the renewal of Minsk’s relations with the West and the US. In his words, this is not a simple information issue but a contribution to Europe’s stability.

The Belarusian president showed that he is able to think in a strategic way and cares about his country’s interests and mutually beneficial relations with its neighbors. “Belarus and Ukraine have a worthy image. With our meetings we secure our countries’ interests, because our people deserve to have place under the sun, not at expense of other peoples,” Lukashenko stressed. At the same time, he admitted that some countries have certain fears about a very tight alliance of Belarusian and Ukrainian people, which unites nearly 60 million people. “It is a huge and strategic territory in the world,” Lukashenko said. “The European Union exists and can live without Belarus and Ukraine. But there is no Europe without Ukraine and Belarus,” the Belarusian president stressed. Thus, he added, we should be appreciated as an important region for the EU.

Speaking about future projects between the two countries, Lukashenko said that the Kyiv–Minsk highway could be a very good symbol of the two people’s unity. Indeed, this project could be an opportunity for Ukrainian builders to learn from their Belarusian colleagues about keeping roads in good condition. Perhaps, this would stimulate our business to study best Belarusian practices in other spheres, too.

Remarkably, the Belarusian president was not afraid to visit Ukraine amidst a flu epidemic. Moreover, he has accompanied Ukrainian president on his visit to Ivano-Frankivsk, where the epidemic is raging, and brought humanitarian aid to be transferred to the local doctors.

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