Belarus and Russia will trade $60 bln of goods, services in 2025 - Lukashenko

MINSK. Dec 19 (Interfax) - Russia is still the main trading partner of Belarus, and mutual trade in goods and services between the two countries will total $60 billion in 2025, with transshipment of Belarusian cargo via Russian ports reaching 16 million tonnes, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said.

"Russia is the main ally and partner of Belarus. Two thirds of our exports are supplied to the Russian market. And we purchase roughly the same amount. Mutual goods and services sales will make up a serious number - $60 billion - in 2025," the text version of the president's address to the people and parliament, published by state news agency BelTA on Friday.

"These volumes need to be increased, now through collaboration in production and joint production facilities. Our task is to bring these enterprises up to their full capacity and make maximum use of the materials and components of our union market," Lukashenko said.

The Belarusian president said that the corresponding legal framework had been developed and criteria agreed upon for industrial products to be deemed Union State products, which Belarus and Russia must use to protect their shared market.

"Cooperation in transport and logistics has also reached a new level. We are actively developing the transshipment of Belarusian cargo via Russian ports. This volume will reach 16 million tonnes this year. That is, it will recover fully to its pre-sanction level. There should not be any administrative barriers or bureaucratic misunderstandings between our two countries," Lukashenko said.

He also said that the government and parliament should pay special attention to working systematically alongside Russia to form shared industry markets.

"We need to move away from empty accountancy: who owns who how much. This is a remnant from old times. All of our exports are just a drop in the ocean for Russia! We are not creating any kind of significant competition with any one of our goods. And our union should not be held back by rank-and-file clerks and bureaucrats," Lukashenko said.