Lukashenko: Belarus, Russia’s Sverdlovsk Oblast can double trade

The level of development and the potential of Belarus and Russia’s Sverdlovsk Oblast make it possible to double bilateral trade, which is already significant, around $1 billion, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting with Sverdlovsk Oblast Governor Denis Pasler in Minsk on 18 May, BelTA has learned.

The Belarusian head of state described cooperation with Sverdlovsk Oblast as successful. In recent years, he noted, trade has reached about $1 billion. However, the president is convinced that the level of development and the capabilities of both Belarus and Sverdlovsk Oblast allow for far more ambitious results. “Understanding the scale and the volumes you can produce, and we can as well, $1 billion is simply a passing figure for us. It is only a matter of time before we can even double our trade,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.

Mutual trade between Belarus and Sverdlovsk Oblast has been steadily increasing in recent years. While in 2021 trade amounted to just under $500 million, by the end of 2025 it had approached $930 million. In January-March this year, trade reached almost $224 million, which was nearly 3% higher year-on-year. Belarusian exports exceeded $157 million. The region mainly imports liquid-crystal devices, lasers, cheeses and curd products, ferrous-metal goods, and cosmetics.