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Belarus serves all loans and reduces foreign debt despite sanctions — Putin

The Russian president noted that Belarus was a reliable and stable partner, gold and foreign exchange reserves significantly exceeded the required level for servicing foreign trade operations

ST. PETERSBURG, July 13. /TASS/. Belarus serves all loans and reduces its external debt despite all sanctions, acts as a reliable and stable partner, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday at a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

"Despite coronavirus, other situations, including those related to external challenges, I mean all sorts of sanctions, the republic serves all loans. Moreover, the external debt of Belarus has decreased by 2.5%, by 0.5 bln rubles. In this sense, Belarus is a reliable and stable partner, gold and foreign exchange reserves significantly exceed the required level for servicing foreign trade operations," Putin said.

Putin noted that agricultural production in Belarus has fallen - by slightly over 1%, while industrial production increased by more than 16%. "This is a very good figure, bearing in mind our deep cooperation in the industrial sector. I hope that the production ties that we have maintained since the Soviet Union and have developed in recent years, all this has a positive effect on both the Russian economy and the economy of Belarus," he summed up.

The last time Putin and Lukashenko met at the end of May to discuss trade and economic relations, and the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, the conversation also mentioned the incident with the Ryanair plane. In addition, on July 1, Putin and Lukashenko held a telephone conversation, in which they discussed problems of the ongoing sanctions pressure on Belarus and opening more Belavia flights to Russia.

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Vladimir Putin Belarus

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