(AGENPARL) – MOSCOW ven 01 luglio 2022

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Ms Natalya Kochanova, Ms Valentina Matviyenko,
friends,

I am happy to welcome the participants and organisers of the latest Forum of Russian and Belarusian
Regions. For many years now, such forums have been making their significant contribution
to the comprehensive development of cooperation between our two countries and helping to establish direct ties between regional and local officials,
businesspeople, and representatives of Russian and Belarusian education,
science, and culture.

Let me note that this year is
significant for Russian-Belarusian relations. A few days ago, on June 25, we
marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between
Russia and Belarus.

It is also symbolic that the forum
events are held on the eve of Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus,
which is celebrated on July 3. On this day in 1944, Minsk was liberated from Nazi
occupants.

This is why I would like to sincerely congratulate our Belarusian friends on the upcoming state holiday. We
will always remember that our peoples fought together during the Great
Patriotic War to defend freedom and independence and to bring peace to all of Europe at the cost of enormous sacrifices.

And, most importantly, Russia and Belarus not only preserve, but multiply the glorious traditions of strong
friendship and mutual assistance. We were able to achieve a truly exemplary
level of strategic partnership and alliance, and the Union State is an example
of truly mutually beneficial and equal integration.

Russia and Belarus continue to consistently step up cooperation in policy, trade, the economy, culture, and the humanitarian sphere on the principles of mutual respect, support, and consideration of each other’s interests.

In this sense, I would like to note
that the Consulate General of the Russian Federation is opening in the city of Grodno where the Forum is taking place. I am sure that the expansion of the Russian diplomatic representation in Belarus will also contribute to the development of multifaceted interregional cooperation.

To be continued.

Fonte/Source: http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/68798