Meeting with Governor of Russia’s Voronezh Oblast Alexander Gusev

Belarus and Russia's Voronezh Oblast need to strive to achieve $1 billion in trade, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Voronezh Oblast Governor Alexander Gusev on 10 June.

The head of state warmly welcomed the Russian governor, noting that two years  passed since their last meeting. “Back then in Minsk we outlined a number of important areas of cooperation, agreed to step up interaction in industry, agriculture, and in humanitarian matters,” said the Belarusian leader. “Largely thanks to your efforts, Voronezh Oblast has become one of the most important partners of our country.”

In 2023, the trade exceeded $500 million. “It’s a good result, but we should strive for the coveted billion, as we have agreed, especially since we have good dynamics this year. The region [Voronezh Oblast] has become the 13th biggest consumer of our imports among Russian regions,” the president said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko named the most promising avenues of cooperation.