MOSCOW, September 15. /TASS/. Belarus and Russia must focus on the creation of unified energy markets, as without them effective progress will be difficult to achieve, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with the magazine Razvedchik.

"Without building integrated energy markets, it is hard to expect effective progress. The signed agreement on a common electricity market is only the beginning. We must move further: create a common gas market, establish unified rules for the oil market, ensure fair prices for processing companies, and provide equal operating conditions for entities of both countries," Lukashenko stated.

He explained that the Union State must operate under common rules leading to the formation of a fully integrated economic space, while preserving the political sovereignty of each nation. "Twenty-five years ago, we laid the foundation for this. Today we are building the structure, and tomorrow we will raise an entire city based on the technological sovereignty of our economies. Within it there will certainly be room for new joint projects, breakthrough technologies, and new discoveries," the Belarusian leader noted.

The treaty on establishing a unified electricity market within the Union State was signed in December 2024. According to the Belarusian Ministry of Energy, the first stage in creating the common electricity market will be implemented gradually, taking into account the parallel operation of the two energy systems with their technological and organizational specificities. The guiding principle, however, is equality and mutual benefit. Russia and Belarus are also working on the formation of a unified oil and gas market.