West tries to hinder integration within EAEU and Russia-Belarus Union State - Russia's Mishustin

NUR-SULTAN. Feb 25 (Interfax) - The West does not like Russia's integration within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and within the Russia-Belarus Union State and tries to hamper it, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said.

Mishustin met with Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko on the sidelines of a meeting of the EAEU Intergovernmental Council in the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan on Friday.

"The aim of our meeting in Nur-Sultan is to further strengthen our integration ties within the EAEU and to ensure further growth of trade and economic cooperation in the interests of the peoples of our states. Of course, not everyone likes it: countries of the West have been trying to drive a wedge between us, to hamper us. But by our presence here at this difficult moment, we tell everyone that we are together. The president of Russia has given detailed assessments of the current situation. He has clearly set out our country's objectives and has described today's situation," Mishustin said.

When commenting on bilateral relations with Belarus, he said that Moscow sincerely values its "allied and fraternal relations" with Minsk.

"This year, we mark the 30th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, and we are interested in taking our cooperation to a new, higher level, in strengthening integration within the Union State, and in launching new joint projects. It will allow us to form a common economic and social space primarily in the interests of citizens of our countries. And it will probably become the best response, including to the West's illegal sanctions against Russia and Belarus," the prime minister said

Bilateral trade between Russia and Belarus grew 34% to $38.5 billion in 2021, he said.

"Russia is in first place by volume of cumulative investment in Belarus. Around 2,400 companies with Russian capital work here, and their number keeps growing. Major joint projects have been implemented. It is crucial to create conditions as comfortable as possible for business and to launch new projects. The project to build a nuclear power plant in Belarus has been progressing successfully. Here new opportunities also open up in the field of peaceful atom. First and foremost, I mean the establishment of the Center for Nuclear Research and Technologies on the basis of the Russian research reactor," Mishustin said.

Golovchenko, in turn, when speaking about bilateral ties, said that there is a permanent group at the level of deputy prime ministers, which discusses pressing issues that "emerge often and to a considerable extent as a result of difficulties imposed from outside."

"And we find suitable and beneficial solutions to the majority of them. You have mentioned trade turnover - it is the best result over the past nine years. And all this has been done despite the ever increasing illegitimate sanctions and other assaults both on Belarus and Russia from the so-called collective West. Therefore, the way we react is an example of a successful partnership and allied relations, which are tested by deeds and grow even stronger in this difficult situation," Golovchenko said.

At the same time, he acknowledged the presence of a number of difficulties, "especially for the Republic of Belarus, which has long been subject to this pressure."

"Nevertheless, I want to thank you for the constructive and fraternal approach to tackling these challenges, particularly in this period, which will obviously be difficult for the Union State as a whole: both for the economy of Belarus and for the economy of Russia. Therefore, it will do us good to synchronize our approaches to anti-sanction measures. I invite you to discuss it," Golovchenko said.