Lukashenko comments on tasks, prospects of Eurasian integration

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at the EAEU summit in St. Petersburg spoke about the prospects of Eurasian integration until 2045. The leaders of the countries were presented with a declaration prepared during the Russian presidency on the main tasks and key directions for the further development of integration processes within the Eurasian Economic Union for the periods up to 2030 and 2045, Belta reports.

"It is important that our countries do not live only in the present. We clearly understand the goals of integration in the foreseeable future. At the initiative of the Russian side, a declaration has been prepared defining the tasks for the development of the Eurasian Economic Union until 2030 and the contours of integration until 2045. In the strict spirit of economic pragmatism, specific, understandable goals have been outlined: further construction of a common Eurasian market, ensuring it with key goods and resources, developing cooperation, forming a common transport and logistics space and a common financial market, and active international positioning of the EAEU," said the head of the Belarusian state.

According to Alexander Lukashenko, in developing the declaration, it is necessary to develop a roadmap for its implementation: "The declaration defines the most important areas in which we will move. This is a conceptual thing. Therefore, today we made a decision, talking in a narrow circle, that under the declaration, in its development, a roadmap should be adopted - a concrete plan for our development. It will not be easy, but we will adopt such a plan."

On financial support for cooperation

According to Alexander Lukashenko, special attention is paid to the issue of financial support for Eurasian industrial cooperation projects using the union's budget funds.

"A good innovation. That is, we will jointly build new enterprises and thereby develop our economy. The decision has been made, the criteria for selecting such projects have been developed and approved," he noted.

On transport, logistics, and digital infrastructure

Work on the joint development of transport, logistics, and digital infrastructure of the member states, and increasing the transport connectivity of the union with actively developing third-country markets, also occupies an important place.

"The synergy of our infrastructural capabilities, the realization of the potential of international organizations and development institutions can and must ensure the solution to the task of forming a pan-continental transport and logistics, as well as trade and economic space," said the head of state.

According to him, a good example of such a consolidation of efforts is the "North-South" transport corridor, which is being implemented on the initiative of the President of Russia with the participation of Azerbaijan and Iran. "This will be a breakthrough in transport and logistics. It is important to give this project momentum. Under no circumstances should it be left on paper," the Belarusian leader noted.

On "integration of integrations" and the EAEU's status in the world

The maximum disclosure of the messages and directions reflected in the declaration is a task for the governments of the countries and the Eurasian Economic Commission. "In the context of the formation of a new highly competitive geopolitical environment, the result of the implementation of all plans would be to see the Eurasian Economic Union, if not by 2030, then certainly by 2045, as one of the main global poles of economic attraction," stated Alexander Lukashenko.

The head of state said that at a meeting in a narrow format, he compared the EAEU with other integration associations, such as the SCO and BRICS. "The SCO is a powerful organization. Many of those who are members of the EAEU are members of this association. BRICS is a very hyped (and rightly so), possibly powerful organization in the future, which many countries dissatisfied with the development of the situation in the UN are looking at. But, comparing them with the EAEU, I conclude that we have more opportunities. The SCO, BRICS have not progressed in the economy as much as we have. They do not have this momentum. They have not yet reached the level of integration that we have achieved," the Belarusian leader explained.

According to him, the main thing now is not to lose pace and not to stop in cooperation and the development of integration: "We must move in this direction. So that we become a leading not only regional, but also global economic organization. And if there is an economy, politics will follow, and military-political cooperation, if there is something to protect. It will not go anywhere either. We have a chance. The most important thing is not to stop."

"The document is comprehensive, correct, and everything is explained in detail. However, in matters of the union's international positioning and the commission's international activities, I would like to see greater systematicity. There should also be a specific action plan, not just a haphazard approach," the Belarusian leader noted.

According to him, it is worth working more actively on developing the institution of a state-observer within the union, and making greater efforts towards the real synergy of the integration potentials of the EAEU, SCO, and BRICS. "Although we have more opportunities, we need to cooperate more closely with them. This will only make us stronger. We need to take advantage of participating in such dynamically developing associations with Russia, which is a key founding country in them. We will fully support the Russian Federation in this important collective work," Alexander Lukashenko stated.

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