Sanctions Open New Opportunities for Cooperation with Russia — Belarusian President

Alexander Lukashenko believes that Belarus' cooperation with the Leningrad region "can simply be described as a perfect example of how to cooperate

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko Pavel Orlovsky/BelTA/TASS

MINSK, June 2. /TASS/. Western sanctions have created new opportunities for Minsk and Moscow to boost cooperation, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said at a meeting with Governor of Russia’s Leningrad region Alexander Drozdenko on Thursday.

"Western companies’ withdrawal from our common market is providing us with opportunities in all areas," Lukashenko said, as quoted on his official website.

The Belarusian president believes that his country’s cooperation with the Leningrad region "can simply be described as a perfect example of how to cooperate." "You always keep your word and follow every process through. This is what figures show," Lukashenko emphasized.

In particular, he specified that trade between Belarus and the Leningrad region had exceeded $700 mln in 2021. "It is a very high level," the Belarusian president noted.