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Following the meeting, the parties signed a package of documents, including: The Decree of the Supreme State Council of the Union State On the Organisation and Development of the Union State’s Transborder Suburban Passenger Railway Operations Between the Border Territories of the Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation and the Regions of the Republic of Belarus; the Directive of the Supreme State Council of the Union State On Mutual Support and Cooperation in International Justice; the resolutions of the Supreme State Council of the Union State On the Establishment of the Union State Standardisation and Quality Committee; On the Union State Literature and Art Awards for 2025–2026; On the 2026 Priorities of the Meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State. The parties also signed resolutions of the Supreme State Council of the Union State On the Guidelines for Implementing the Provisions of the Treaty Establishing the Union State and On the Implementation of the Decisions of the Supreme State Council of the Union State.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Lukashenko, friends,

We are delighted to welcome you to Moscow. Today, we are here for a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State that marks the Union State’s anniversary. Yet, it is not only a ceremonial but also a business event.

Once again, I hope the meeting will be useful and up to the highest standard. I gladly pass the floor to the President of Belarus who is our host and chairman.

Mr President, please.

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko: Mr President, members of the Supreme State Council, other meeting participants,

As per tradition, I want to thank you, Mr President, the Government, the heads of parliament and the ministers of the Russian Federation for the hospitality and attention you pay to this event.

In the current international environment, with tensions persisting mainly at our western frontiers, it is vital to develop the alliance and the strategic partnership between Belarus and Russia. The geopolitical landscape objectively sets the task to be prepared for coordinated response to any challenges.

We have launched the implementation of the Union State Agreement on Security Guarantees. As we agreed, the Oreshnik missile system was put on standby alert in Belarus in December.

We maintain successful coordination in foreign policy. The Directive On Mutual Support and Cooperation in International Justice, to be signed today, will be an important step in protecting our shared interests, the inviolability of international law and its institutions. But our focus remains on the economy, as always.

Unfortunately, the global trade system today is being blocked, twisted and bent to fit their needs, with protective tariffs, technology and energy blockades, currency pressure, and piracy along the logistics routes. Some countries are prohibited from exporting oil and others from importing it – or at least such attempts are being made. While the leaders of the multipolar world order, China and Russia, are only slightly worried, their allies are under unprecedented pressure. In the past few weeks alone, our shared partners – Venezuela, Cuba and Iran – have experienced grave interference, mainly through their economies.

Therefore, technological autonomy, reliance on our own resources and competences, prioritising our domestic products and the protection of the Union State’s common market constitute the safe lines that are as important as military or foreign political frontiers.

Comrades,

April 2 marks the 30^th anniversary of the Treaty Establishing the Union State of Belarus and Russia, which laid the foundation for the Union building. Over these years, we have accomplished a lot. Reciprocal access to our markets has made it possible to increase trade eightfold from US$6.5 billion in 1996 to nearly US$55 billion last year.

The share of energy in bilateral trade has decreased, while mutual supplies of food and consumer goods have grown. Trade in transport, construction, and information services is expanding at a fast pace. Reciprocal investments boost our economies and, most importantly, create new jobs. More than 60 percent of investment in Belarus comes from Russia. Our country has significantly increased investment in the Russian economy as well.

Today, the governments will report on the implementation of the main provisions of the Treaty Establishing the Union State for 2024–2026. So far, only 40 percent of the sector-specific measures have been completed, namely, 125 out of 310. Implementation delays affect only a limited number of instructions – 14 in total – representing a mere 4.5 percent. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure the preparation of substantive main guidelines for the next three-year period. Most importantly, they must be fully implemented. They should primarily focus on ensuring the technological sovereignty of the Union State and achieving technological parity with other countries. We can do this, as we have already successfully done in some other areas and industries.

The governments and the Standing Committee must work through these matters thoroughly and comprehensively so that we can move forward at the pace the current situation demands.

In building the Union State, we proceed from practical needs, advancing to a higher level of integration and creating intergovernmental bodies where this has become necessary. We already have an intergovernmental customs committee centre, a tax committee, and a Union hydrometeorological service in operation. Today, we are establishing a Union State Standardisation and Quality Committee, which will ensure control over product quality on the common market and help eliminate technical barriers in mutual trade.

This year, the status of the Made in the Union State product has been legally formalised. It is important that this nice-looking official trademark is followed by actual support and protection of the interests of Belarusian and Russian manufacturers of our common product.

Launching, in just a few months, cross-border railway services along the Vitebsk-Smolensk and Orsha-Smolensk routes will expand the opportunities available to the Union State citizens. I often emphasise and have said this to Mr Mishustin that we will strengthen and step up our cooperation in transport. As soon as you introduced additional Lastochka trains, as we call them, an enormous number of Belarusians – millions of them – travelled to Moscow. Today even those trains are no longer sufficient. Mr President, I should note that just yesterday I was informed that our fugitives have already become concerned that Belarusians are not travelling to Europe at all. Everyone is heading East. Fewer, of course, to China, and more to Moscow and the Russian Federation. That is what we mean when we say we go from practical needs. We are doing what our people need. Today we plan to consider issues of railway and other transport links between neighbouring regions. This is exactly what is required. And then there will be no need to persuade anyone whether to be part of the Union or not. We simply need to take these steps for the sake of the people.

I am confident that all of you truly understand the value of Belarusian-Russian relations and the unprecedented depth of our integration. The decision under consideration today will once again confirm the relevance and high demand for the Union State format.

First and foremost, Mr President, I would like to thank your ministers and members of the Russian Government, who have been paying greater attention to our cooperation. Mr Mishustin, thank you for that. I am not even mentioning our parliamentarians who are the real driving force of our relations. Our regional-level initiatives are extremely important. The Chinese have suggested that we start cooperating region to region as we do with Russia. Iran, about six months ago, has also expressed interest in such cooperation. It is clear what people truly need when you operate based on practical needs.

Therefore, I am thankful to the parliamentarians, especially senators, for being actively engaged in this work. I very much hope that the Russian Government will remain committed to the Union State building and that we will fulfil all our instructions, agreements, and decisions adopted at the joint events.

Mr President, everyone is waiting for you to say something on the pressing issues of the day in this context. Then we will move on to the agenda.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

Mr Lukashenko, colleagues, friends,

At this meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State, we are going to discuss and adopt some very important decisions pertaining to the further comprehensive development and strengthening of cooperation between Russia and Belarus in political, economic, social and humanitarian spheres.

The deepening integration between our states is a consistent, natural and, I want to stress, mutually beneficial process, founded on the unbreakable ties of our brotherly friendship, centuries-old traditions of neighbourliness, mutual support, and the common cultural, spiritual and moral values of the Russian and Belarusian peoples.

This meeting is taking place during an anniversary year for the Union State. Indeed, President Lukashenko has just noted that in April, we will mark 30 years of the signing of the treaty of the union between our countries. Signed on April 2, 1996, the treaty launched our integration processes, with many successful outcomes achieved over the decades thanks to our coordinated efforts.

A common socioeconomic, defence, migration, and information, as well as academic and educational, and cultural and humanitarian space has been created. Citizens of Russia and Belarus are guaranteed equal rights in all spheres of life, freedom to choose place of residence and employment, the opportunity to participate in local elections, and equal and unfettered access to government, social, and medical services.

The resolution adopted today by the Supreme State Council on organising protection for Russians and Belarusians against persecution by foreign states and judicial authorities will be another step in the interests of the citizens.

Favourable conditions for implementing a common macroeconomic policy have been created throughout the Union State. Major joint projects are being carried out in industry, transport, and agriculture, as well as in high-tech and science-intensive sectors. Import substitution programmes are progressing successfully, including in key sectors such as engineering, machine-tool building, microelectronics, and optics.

As a result, mutual Russian-Belarusian trade and investment continue to grow year after year. In 2025, trade was up by nearly three percent. Our statistics may differ slightly between the countries, but US$52 billion looks impressive.

With over US$4.5 billion invested in the Belarusian economy, Russia is the leader. Around 2,500 Russian companies operate in Belarus. As was just mentioned, our countries even share a common trademark Made in the Union State, which can be found on products manufactured using no less than half of the materials and components sourced from Russia and Belarus. It entitles the manufacturers to participate in government procurement and to access other preferences.

Within the Union State, conditions for doing business are being consistently harmonised and improved, and rules on taxation, financial, and administrative regulation are being simplified. Today we will adopt a resolution of the Supreme State Council on the creation of a Union State Committee for Standardisation and Quality. The President of Belarus has just mentioned this. The new committee will enforce strict oversight to make sure consumers in both countries receive high-quality products, and will also promote the development of free, transparent, and efficient competitive environment in the economic space of the two countries.

The transport and logistics network connecting Russia and Belarus is expanding, as the President of Belarus has just mentioned. The unified system of passenger and freight transportation is being improved, and road and rail infrastructure is being modernised. The State Council’s decision to re-establish direct commuter rail service between the neighbouring regions of Russia and Belarus is aligned with this.

Developing cultural, academic, sports, and youth contacts is, of course, an integral part of our Union State’s extensive agenda. For example, more than 16,000 Belarusians are studying in Russian educational institutions, and next year, another 1,300 Belarusian applicants will be able to enrol in Russian universities on a state-funded basis alone.

The Union State awards in literature and arts have become truly prestigious and renowned. A resolution of the Supreme State Council of the Union State on awarding the next set of these awards to talented cultural figures from both countries has been submitted for our approval.

I would like to note that Russia and Belarus cooperate as allies in foreign policy and defence. Our approaches to pressing international issues are always close or aligned. We consistently strive to play a constructive role in resolving global and regional problems, working shoulder to shoulder within the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and at other multilateral platforms, including the United Nations. Together, we resist sanctions pressure and advocate for the formation of a truly equitable, multipolar world.

The interstate treaty on security guarantees within the Union State, which entered into force in 2025, provides a reliable foundation for the alliance between Russia and Belarus. This comprehensive document aims to protect the sovereignty, independence, and constitutional order of Russia and Belarus, as well as the integrity and inviolability of our territories and external borders. I am confident that, together with our Belarusian friends, we will continue to do everything necessary to ensure the military security of the Union State, employing all available forces and means.

In conclusion, I would like to express my confidence that our current joint work will contribute to the further development of the Russian-Belarusian partnership and alliance, the advancement of equal and mutually beneficial integration, and the overall wellbeing of the people of Russia and Belarus. This is precisely what we are working towards.

Thank you very much.

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Alexander Lukashenko: Mr President, our agenda includes the review of the results. Please, say a few words if you’d like.

Vladimir Putin: I would like to just thank our Chairman – you, Mr Lukashenko – for your contribution, and all our colleagues, for everything done ahead of our meeting today. Usually, we carry out extensive preliminary work, and here we are merely documenting the results of your work on both sides. Thank you very much.

On my part, I would like to invite the members of the Supreme State Council to a working lunch.

Alexander Lukashenko: Mr President, members of the Supreme State Council, invited government members of Belarus and Russia, and other government officials,

Today, we have set a direction for a new stage of integration development across all areas. Instructions have been given to prepare guidelines for implementing the provisions of the Treaty Establishing the Union State for our next cycle of 2027–2029.

As per tradition, to wrap up, I would like, following the President of Russia, to express my gratitude to everyone who helped prepare our meeting. I would like to ask the members of the Supreme State Council, governments, parliaments, and the standing committee to take serious oversight over the implementation of the adopted instructions, with as much personal involvement as possible.

(Addressing State Secretary of the Union State Sergei Glazyev.) Mr Glazyev, I would like to ask you to answer all the questions about today’s event from our journalists who were also present here. I would like to thank them in advance for their extensive efforts not only to promote our governing body in the Union State, but also the decisions we make, naturally, in the interests of the peoples of Belarus and Russia. I would like to thank everyone for their work.

This concludes our discussion and decision-making on the items of the Supreme State Council agenda.

Thank you.