Under conditions of colossal external pressure on the State of the Union, Belarus and Russia show positive trends of interaction. The strengthening of allied relations has become a natural and the only possible response to the situation in the world. The best confirmation of this is the statistics, which indicate an increase in the volume of mutual trade. In January-March of this year, it increased by 22% compared to the same period last year. Olga Lazorkina, analyst of the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies, notes: Belarus and Russia show their intention to move forward on the path of improving the model of cooperation, the foundations of which are laid within the framework of the programs of ‘integration.
- The leaders of the two countries see the effectiveness of the interaction mainly in strengthening the coordination and symmetry of the measures taken in the economic sphere. We are rethinking the understanding of strategic partnership as a willingness to provide large-scale support in times of crisis. It should be noted that the asymmetry of potentials does not prevent partners from maintaining a Belarusian accent in international affairs. Both states are active members of integration associations not only in the post-Soviet space, but also on a larger scale. Russia’s authority and experience, Belarus’ balance and coherence make it possible to maintain the backbone of integration in the region, to contain the manifestation of protectionism and to ensure effective interaction in the crisis situations.
28 Allied Programs is a long-term model integration strategy that is already delivering results
Economic globalization, which has developed with great success over the past two decades, has shown that the unification of the efforts of States leads to many positive effects for the economy. This is especially important for countries that have limited natural resources.
- At the same time, as practice shows, the success of material support lies not in the volume, but in the ability of the recipient country to use it rationally, – Olga Lazorkina is sure of this. – Belarus, unlike many countries in the world, has a pronounced internal potential, which has made it possible to maintain an attractive economic specificity for the union.
Belarus is not new to regional integration. The country has accumulated a fairly large experience of cooperation both in the West and in the East. According to experts, regionalization is now experiencing another cycle, significantly complicated by increased politicization. The BISI analyst points out: - Despite this, the understanding that interaction with neighbors is the basis for stable economic development under current conditions remains largely unshakable. At the same time, a demand is forming for the creation of larger associations that would link the continents. In this regard, the foreign policy of Belarus aims to integrate as much as possible into the new economic realities, without opposing Western and Eastern directions.
Belarus and Russia have intensified their economic integration without compromising their sovereignty and independence. 28 intersectoral programs are successfully implemented, which determine the action guidelines for the years to come.
- 28 allied programs is a long-term strategy of model integration, which is already bearing fruit, – Olga Lazorkina sees real prospects. – In many ways, the programs are linked to industry interaction, so the effects are not very visible and not always clear to the public.
In the current conditions, the expert points out, the main efforts are aimed at strengthening the financial system of Belarus and Russia:
- Union programs through the harmonization of legislation have already made it possible to radically reduce dependence on international payment systems. As a result, there was an incentive for the development of their domestic segments, such as Mir and Belkart cards. In addition, pilot projects have been launched in the rapid payment system. It is obvious that the strategic tasks defined in the Allied programs must be reinforced by tactical measures to balance the situation in the economic field.
Undoubtedly, the industry occupies one of the key places in trade and economic relations between Belarus and Russia. The companies are linked by close cooperative relations, which are being strengthened to the benefit of both States. And under current conditions, this solves global problems, including ensuring the technological sovereignty of the Union State, the BISI analyst believes:
– The import substitution projects that we implement constitute a unique experience of preserving industrial production in the face of large-scale restrictive measures. Essentially, these projects are not envisioned as breakthroughs. At the same time, they create a new vision of the movement of Belarus and Russia along the development trajectory. The next step should be to ensure technological sovereignty in critical sectors of the economy. It is important to understand that industrial cooperation does not eliminate competition. Moreover, it creates even stricter conditions, in which the key role will not be played by demand, but by supply ahead of schedule.
It is worth recalling that Russia provided Belarus with a loan in the amount of 105 billion Russian rubles for the implementation of import substitution programs. Under these funds, 12 major projects are expected to be implemented in 2023-2024.
According to the analyst, what should our countries focus on in the near future and which joint projects are of paramount importance?
- The financial and technology sectors are at the forefront of the rapid response. The challenges facing Belarus and Russia require first of all a stabilization of the situation, a maximum limitation of dependence on external factors. It seems relevant to carry out a qualitative review of the resources of the scientific and technological base in parallel with the creation of state support programs for the scientific sector in order to provide breakthrough solutions in the technological sector.
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