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Will Russia and Belarus one day form a single State? Presidents Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko have discussed this several times this month. For the Belarusian president, more integration is needed, but he wants Belarus to keep sovereignty.
In a river interview on Russian radio Echo of Moscow , Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko explains his vision. He wants more integration, but not in defiance of the sovereignty of his country, and not under duress:
" If Russia continually puts pressure on us, starting with gas and oil price issues, if it continues to write and say that we are recipients of assistance, that we are its cannonballs, we will say : no thanks ", He warned.
Advanced integration for Moscow
Moscow seems to want further integration, which fuels speculation: for some Russian commentators, the merger project between the two countries could allow Vladimir Putin to remain in power beyond 2024, after his second mandate in a row, then taking the lead of this new entity.
Alexander Lukashenko does not close the door to the merger project, while remaining cautious. " We must calmly agree on the essential and show it to the Russian people and especially to the Belarusian people, who are so concerned about their sovereignty and independence, " he said. It is very important not to scare anyone and not to create a space for all kinds of provocateurs or street fights ”.
►Also listen: Hello Europe - Russia-Belarus: epilogue of a border battle
On Friday December 20, 2,000 people demonstrated in the Belarusian capital Minsk against this integration project. The rally had not been officially authorized, but the police, who were generally quick to respond, remained behind.