**Belarus and Russia: No Merger in Near Future**
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko said on March 14 that his country will not merge with Russia in the near future. He made this statement while addressing the Russian Federation Council.
Lukashenko stated, “If we are going to burst through this open door, we will ruin everything we have done. It is necessary to go calmly, step by step.” This comes after independent Russian media Meduza reported that Putin may revisit plans to formally absorb Belarus once the war against Ukraine is resolved.
**Lukashenko’s Relationship with Russia**
Despite Lukashenko’s claim of maintaining relations with global actors like China and the EU, he stated that Minsk will “always side with Moscow.” He highlighted what he described as “open fraternal relations” between the two countries. Lukashenko added, “It can’t be otherwise. Belarus will never leave Russia alone, just as Russia will never leave Belarus.”
**Trade and Economic Cooperation**
Lukashenko’s visit to Russia marks his first trip since securing a seventh presidential term in an election widely denounced as a sham. Following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko and Putin signed a joint statement pledging to expand bilateral trade, economic, and investment cooperation.
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