Union State News: Lukashenko, Putin, Ukraine Talks, and Regional Updates

Russia-Belarus Union State Relations

• 💡 Alexander Lukashenko affirmed the strong alliance between Minsk and Moscow, stating no force can separate them.
• 🤝 An upcoming Supreme State Council meeting on February 26 will discuss ambitious joint projects and future directions for 2027-2029.
• 🚂 Joint projects include developing suburban railway services between Smolensk and Vitebsk regions and an investment platform for cooperative financing.
• 🕊️ Lukashenko and Putin will discuss participation in the Peace Council, with Belarus attending the first meeting in Washington via its Foreign Minister due to logistical sanctions.
• 🇺🇦 Lukashenko believes the Peace Council is crucial for a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis, and Russia may join if initial results are positive.

Key Political Meetings & Regional Focus

• 🇰🇿 Vladimir Putin confirmed his attendance at the Eurasian Economic Union summit in Astana in late May, discussing bilateral relations with Kazakhstan.
• 🏗️ Putin met with Oryol Region Governor Andrei Klychkov, who reported on projects like an airport construction and a student campus.
• 💖 The Oryol region has established 50 new enterprises in agriculture and industry and provides significant support to Special Military Operation (SVO) participants and their families.

International Diplomacy & Security

• 🇺🇦 The third round of Russia-Ukraine-USA talks is scheduled for February 17-18 in Geneva, with an expanded Russian delegation led by Vladimir Medinsky.
• 🗺️ These talks are expected to cover a broader range of issues, including territorial questions, unlike previous security-focused discussions.
• 🚨 The Federal Security Service (FSB) detained 86 illegal arms dealers across 37 regions, seizing pistols, rifles, grenades, and explosives from underground workshops.

Commemorations and Cultural Events

• 🇦🇫 The 37th anniversary of Soviet troops withdrawing from Afghanistan was commemorated in Russia and Belarus, honoring fallen soldiers.
• 🇷🇺🇧🇾 Maslenitsa week began with widespread celebrations across the Union State, featuring fairs, performances, and traditional foods like blini and draniki.