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Russian dictator Vladimir Putin added that the Western sanctions are forcing Moscow and Minsk to work together to minimize economic damage and maximize production. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, in turn, said that former Soviet republics should seek “alignment” with Russia and Belarus “if they want to preserve their sovereignty and independence." Russia and Belarus created the Union State, a binational confederation, in 2000. It remained a formality until recently but the two countries have stepped up talks on merging their state institutions and markets since 2019.

The Kyiv Independent news desk
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
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