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Moscow's turn to settlements in national currencies contributes to ruble growth — Putin

The President stressed that Russia was fulfilling all obligations to its partners

SOCHI, May 23. /TASS/. Russia's transition to trade in national currencies with other countries, including Belarus, contributes to the strengthening of the ruble, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday at a meeting with the leader of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.

"Transitioning to trade with our partners in the national currency, in rubles, is also making a contribution," Putin said, speaking about the growing trade between Moscow and Minsk. He recalled that earlier Lukashenko had repeatedly talked about the need for such steps.

"The situation objectively developed in such a way that we did it. Not to the detriment of our partners, I would like to emphasize this, but fulfilling all our obligations - we are switching to the national currency, to rubles, for some commodity groups, and this contributes to the ruble strengthening," he added.

At the same time, he noted that this is nothing new for Russia and Belarus, they have been trading in national currencies for a long time, and the volume of these settlements is only increasing.

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