ST. PETERSBURG, December 29. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is confident that implementing union programs will create better conditions for the development of the economies of Russia and Belarus.

At a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko on Wednesday, Putin recalled the adoption of 28 union programs earlier this year. "This is very important, it will create better conditions for the development of the economies of the two countries," Putin said.

"Indeed, this year we have made a significant step forward in coordinating positions in the main areas," Putin noted. In his opinion, the adopted Union programs are "key things that may not be noticeable at first glance, but are essential from the point of view of building modern, international, but at the same time close integration processes for both states". "This is primarily finance, tax, customs, and fiscal legislation," the Russian president said.

Putin stated that "during the pandemic year of 2020, there was a decline in the volume of trade [between Russia and Belarus] of around 17%, but this year there has already been growth of around 36%". "That is, we covered everything that we lost in the previous [year], and almost doubled it," Putin stressed. He believes that the members of the governments of Russia and Belarus should be thanked for such results. Putin added that Moscow and Minsk "have serious plans to work on cooperation".