Putin and Lukashenko to meet in Sochi today

Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in the Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi. The two leaders will discuss issues of bilateral cooperation, especially in the trade and economic sphere. They are also expected to discuss Russian-Belarusian integration and the situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Their previous meeting took place on June 5, also in Sochi. During that meeting, Putin and Lukashenko discussed gas problems and questions regarding the Russia-Belarus Union State, including the introduction of the Russian ruble as the single legal tender, the creation of the Common Economic Area and the situation in the Commonwealth of Independent States.