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Lavrov: Russia, Belarus enjoy true allied relations

Direct contacts of the presidents are expected, Lukashenko has accepted Putin's invitation to visit Ufa where the summits of BRICS and the SCO will be held

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov TASS/EPA/Archive/OLIVIER HOSLET

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

© TASS/EPA/Archive/OLIVIER HOSLET

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Minsk keeps foreign policy vector of alliance with Moscow unchanged — foreign minister

MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/. The Union State of Russia and Belarus is an important and much-in-demand format of cooperation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday opening talks with his Belarusian counterpart Vladimir Makei.

"We have a regular schedule of meetings and active contacts at all the levels — at the highest, among the heads of governments and ministers," Lavrov said. "We have true allied relations," he said.

The minister reminded that on March 3 Moscow hosted a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State of Russia and Belarus. "This is an important and much-in-demand format of cooperation where integration ideas undergo trials," he added.

"Direct contacts of the presidents are expected. Alexander Lukashenko has accepted the invitation of Vladimir Putin to visit Ufa where the summits of BRICS and the SCO will be held," Lavrov said.

BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union are "united by close approaches to the global agenda," he added.

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Foreign policy Sergey Lavrov Belarus Alexander Lukashenko

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