Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka landed in Sochi, Russia, on Feb. 19, and left on Feb. 23. His meeting with President Vladimir Putin occurred on March 2 and lasted six hours, following a joint skiing escapade. The two heads of state also talked on the phone on Tuesday, while Lukashenka was still in Sochi. The main themes of that conversation were, reportedly, the harmonization of Russia’s and Belarus’s tax systems (which Moscow has been insisting on) as well as further bilateral cooperation in the military-industrial sector and the media space (Politnavigator, Feb. 24). Other topics on the visit agenda included the renewed commitment to integration roadmaps, including the integration of industrial giants like Grodno’s Azot chemical plant, as well as plans to launch the production of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine (Sputnik-V) in Belarus (Tut.by, Feb. 22). The presidents did not make any announcements for the press. And it is not known whether Moscow has agreed to issue a new loan to Minsk, despite much media speculation about this issue on the eve of the summit.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) talks with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko (L) during their meeting in Sochi on Feb. 22, 2021.
