Aleksandr Lukashenko meets with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev

Belarus and Russia are eager to promote the project of Union State development, President of the Republic of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev.

Welcoming Dmitry Medvedev, Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out that there are strategic problems and matters to discuss.

"It is very important that you start your life in politics with Belarus, with holding a very important event (the session of the Council of Ministers of the Union State). It means that we drew and will draw attention to integration processes. We will draw attention and advance this nucleus, our main project of the Union State," the President said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that Belarus is ready to discuss all matters, including the Union State development, its prospects, defense and finance. "Taking into account the unfavorable tendencies that advance against us from the West and the South, from all directions. There is a load of problems we should reach agreement on," the Belarusian head of state added.

Dmitry Medvedev, in turn, stated that the Belarusian-Russian relations have reached a brand-new level of strategic partnership.

"Over the last year, maybe a bit longer, we have passed a very important stage and advanced into a brand-new level of strategic partnership. We are happy about it. I hope that Belarus feels the same," Dmitry Medvedev said.

According to the Russian Prime Minister, concrete figures speak louder than words about active bilateral cooperation. "The bilateral trade has reached an unprecedented level. It has never been so big before. This the result of joint work and integration processes within the framework of the Union State and the Customs Union," Dmitry Medvedev noted.

In January-May 2012 Belarus-Russia bilateral trade went up 25.1% over the same period last year to exceed $19 billion. Russia accounted for about 47% of Belarus' foreign trade. In January-May 2012 Belarus exported 945 products, while in January-May 2011 the country sold 905 products to Russia.

According to Dmitry Medvedev, the upcoming session of the Union State Council of Ministers will focus on economic cooperation of Belarus and Russia, interaction in defense and humanitarian fields. "We believe that our relations are on a very good level, we see eye to eye with each other across virtually the entire agenda, " Dmitry Medvedev added .